Love More Potent Than Any Jewel
by Vampire-Apprentice
Summary: My first Hobbit fanfiction, using my OC and Thorin as a pairing, but will also have Kili X Tauriel and Fili X Sigrid pairings too. Real summary is inside. PS, I do know own the story, but the OC is mine and the title picture is the best I could find to describe my OC's looks. Rated M for future scenes. Please rate and review :) Enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

**Thorin has felt someone following him for years, little did he know that it was someone who could unite the lines of Dwarves and Elves, and end the centuries old feud, just by existing. But now, thanks to a wandering wizard, this person had joined his quest to see his rightful place as king. Danger and turmoil follow the group wherever they may go and Thorin must make a choice between the King's Jewel and one who has grown close to his heart. But he isn't the only one!**

* * *

Followed

He knew that he was being followed; he had been travelling with some other dwarfs in search of his father Thrain. He had been missing since the battle with the great white orc – Azog the Defiler. Although Thorin did not know who it was that followed him, there was an occasional sign, such as he frequently saw the glimpses of a shadow, saw an arrow that had been left behind or a piece of a cloak that was snagged by a branch. He always wondered just who this mystery figure was. Was it a dwarf? Maybe not, the shadows he had seen looked too tall to be of dwarf blood. It was too fluid, graceful and silent to be from the line of men. This meant that it could only be of one kind, an elf, and yet despite how much he hated elves, he could not bring himself to hate this one, even though it might not be an elf. That night, after everyone in camp had gone to sleep for the night, and he took first watch, he made a mental note in order to check whether he had gathered all of his supplies, ready for the return to his kin in the morning. Leaning against a tree, he held his sword tightly; he looked out over the dark land before him, which was only lit by the light of a full moon. It was a peaceful night, the only sounds being that of the nocturnal creatures that scurried up trees and ate plants before him. Nothing was there to cause a danger to him or his men and he soon found himself floating off to sleep in the peace and quiet.

However, he jolted awake as he heard the snapping of twigs and the scampering of animals, there was something coming straight towards him! Standing up, he grabbed his sword and unsheathed it in one quick motion, but he froze as he saw a figure stood before him. The only bit he could make out was their eyes, they glistened in the moonlight, and he found himself frozen in place by them. However, as soon as he saw them, the figure ran off, but this time Thorin wanted to know who it was.

"Wait!" He shouted after them, forgetting about the sleeping dwarves around him and as he ran off, after the figure, he ignored the waking up moans of his men.

He continued to run through the forest after the figure, suddenly the sound of footsteps changed to the sound of hooves and no matter how fast he ran, Thorin could not outrun a full grown horse. Breaking into a clearing he stopped as he caught the figure, sat in the saddle of a large horse, fully hooded and cloaked, watching him from the other end of the clearing. In the moonlight he could just make out their swords, their bow and their quiver full of arrows, as well as something on their wrist which looked like a gold bangle.

Suddenly he heard his name being called and the sound of footsteps coming closer, but his eyes never left that of the rider and he watched as they rode away into the mist of the other side of the clearing. There was silence for a few minutes, before he felt a presence behind him and found a grey dwarf beside him.

"There you are laddie." The dwarf told him, putting away his sword and stopping to catch his breath.

"What is it Balin?" Thorin asked, looking at the dwarf next to him.

"You disappeared, and orcs have been sighted nearby, so we need to stick together laddie." Balin told him.

Thorin sighed. "Alright Balin, let's go back to camp."

Together the two dwarves walked side by side, weapons at hand, back towards camp, they were both silent, Thorin contemplating this person, whilst Balin contemplated Thorin.

"Laddie..." Balin started.

"What Balin?" Thorin asked.

"What were you following, lad?" He asked. "Something brought you away from camp."

"I think that I am being followed." Thorin told him quietly, reaching into a pocket inside his cloak and he pulled out the tail end of an arrow, which he handed to Balin. As Balin inspected the weapon end, he too admired the craftsmanship, but then he too became wary.

"Who do you suppose owns it?" He asked, handing it back.

"I do not know, I just know that he isn't dwarven if they can craft items like that." He hid the arrow in his cloak once more. The two got back to camp just as everyone was getting ready to leave and they too started getting ready to return to their people.

Meanwhile, the hooded figure travelled upon a horse through the dense forest until they came to a sign that read for Bree. The faithful horse continued on towards the small town, his body needing rest, but he wanted to make sure that his rider was safe in the town of Bree. Up ahead, he saw the lights of the small town and as they reached the gates, he happily rode through them.

"Good evening young rider." The gatekeeper told them.

"Good evening." The rider spoke, though their voice was muffled behind the mask they wore.

From there they rode in silence, the horse knowing exactly where to go as they went unnoticed by most of the townsfolk, before they came to the stables of an Inn, aptly named the Prancing Pony. Giving the horse to the stable boy, along with some coin for his keep, the rider walked inside the Inn. As they waited at the desk, the Innkeeper walked over, cleaning his hands on an old rag at his waist. The man recognised the rider immediately so he knew exactly what they were looking for.

"Good evening ranger of the North, one room is it?" He asked, already holding out a key.

"Is he here?" The rider asked, taking the key, their voice still muffled by the mask.

"Aye, he is in the tavern, told me to give you this." He held out a letter to the rider, who reached out with a scarred hand and took it, before putting it into their pocket and exchanging it for some coins. When the coins were taken, the rider walked up to their room, where they locked the door and opened the letter. Yet the letter brought the rider no joy, only information. Weapons and cloak still in place, they left the room and headed downstairs and out of the Inn into the tavern that stood across the street. Upon entering, they found the one that they were looking for, sat in the corner was a man in grey cloaks, hair the colour of cooled ash, for Gandalf the Grey was why the rider had come.

Walking over, the rider put the letter between them on the table, and this caused the wizard to look up as the rider eased them self into the chair opposite him.

"Am I speaking with the fire ranger of the North?" Gandalf asked, his voice nothing but a hushed whisper.

The rider simply nodded, remaining hood, cloaked and masked.

"Excellent." He told them, putting his pipe away, he did not ask for the rider to uncover them self for her knew the hidden reasons behind being cloaked in a place such as this.

"What does the wandering wizard wish to speak to me about?" The rider asked, through muffling material that made up the cloak.

"I happen to have a favour to ask of you." Gandalf told them.

"What kind of favour?" The rider asked.

"An adventure to get rid of a dragon." Gandalf continued, and he saw the rider look up at him with eyes full of doubt yet interest.

"You speak of Smaug, the dragon that guards Erebor?"

"Yes, I have found the remaining Sons of Durin."

"What can I do?" The rider asked immediately.

The rider's sudden and immediate interest in the quest, at the mention of the line of Durin, surprised him but he still welcomed it.

"You can accompany us; your skills will be much appreciated."

The rider nodded, not even taking time to think it through. "Bring them to the valley, my wolf will meet you at the house in the Shire of where you planned to meet and guide you to me."

"Very well." Gandalf nodded. "Now, I believe this is where we part ways."

"It is." The rider stood and almost in a blink, they were gone, leaving Gandalf alone at the table. This adventure was not going to be boring at all, the wizard thought with a sly smile.


	2. Chapter 2

The Hobbit and the Shire

Days had passed since Thorin had seen the figure that followed him, but he was not worried about it, he seemed oddly comforted by it. The only problem was that the figure plagued his mind, night and day and refused to let up even when he went to sleep or when he was at a meeting of his kin like he had been tonight. He was frustrated that his own kin had not agreed to help him and his company on their quest to return to the Lonely Mountains. They had called him foolish, him, Thorin Son of Thrain, Son of Thror, the rightful king under the mountain! As he rode his pony through the wilderness, he cursed his kin for abandoning their fellow dwarves, but he knew that they too feared for their own people as well as his. The dwarves were getting less and less, with fewer children being born they all feared that they would pass into legend, why risk their lives for a quest of danger? He sighed as he reached a sign post, one side pointed to Bree, one pointed to The Valley of Peace and the other pointed to The Shire. He had spoken with Gandalf the Grey days before who told him that he had found the right person for the job of taking the Arkenstone from the monster that ran him and his people from his home in the Lonely Mountain, and that fellow was a Hobbit. As he rode to the Shire, he noticed the odd looks that he received from the few Hobbits who saw him, but he held his head high, he was a King after all, the rightful king. He tried to follow the paths but found himself getting lost twice; all of these little hearths looked the same to him. It confused him as to why they would build their homes underground, it was good for defence he supposed, but there was no way to properly defend yourself with picket fences and a shovel. At least in his home his walls were made of stone and he had swords and arrows to defend himself and his kin. After getting lost for the second time, he was just about to give up, and then he saw it. A faint blue mark upon a round green door, it was small but it was there and he almost cried out in relief and anger. The damn wizard had said that it would be easy to find –ha! He brought his pony to the gate and tied it up on one of the fence posts, once he had dismounted. From inside he heard the laughter of his kin and the sound of plates being thrown around. Already causing mischief, that was typical of his company. Straightening his posture, he walked to the door and made sure he was presentable, before he knocked with a heavy hand upon the wood.

The knock was loud, loud enough to quieten the laughter inside and as he waited he turned back to look at the moon. He took the full clear beauty of the moon as a good omen for his journey, and it was also a lovely sight to behold. Yet, he turned his gaze back to the door as he heard it open and in the doorway stood a creature, with messy sandy hair, a white shirt with suspenders attached to his pants to keep them up and large feet stood there. He was thin and had as much meat on him as a turkey neck. This was certainly not a creature built for fighting, which caused Thorin to feel a bit insulted, was this small thing up to the task? He doubted it greatly, but before he could say anything, Gandalf stepped in.

"Ah Mr Baggins, I am pleased to introduce the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield." At Gandalf's introduction, the Hobbit bowed to Thorin, obviously having been already told that he was a king.

"Ah Gandalf, you said this place would be easy to find, I ended up losing my way – twice." Thorin told him, as he walked inside. "So Mr Baggins, do you do much fighting?" He asked, causing the Hobbit to stammer something, but Thorin kept talking. "Axe or sword, what's your weapon of choice?" He asked, handing his own weapon to his oldest nephew Fili who put it with his own and took his Uncle's travelling coat, doing the same with it.

"Well I do have some skill with conkers." Bilbo told him.

At his confession, everyone looked at him and they were all thinking the same thing as Thorin, could this little Hobbit survive their journey?

"Look, we need a burglar for the task that we have in mind, and Hobbit's are extremely light on their feet, he will be fine." Gandalf told them. "Now Mister Baggins, could you please get the head of our company some food?"

"I'll see what I have left." Bilbo told him, walking away as Thorin sat in a chair back at the table that his company had made when they arrived.

After a few minutes, a bowl of stew was put in front of Thorin as the rest of the dwarves talked amongst themselves about their task at hand. Suddenly everyone went quiet as Gandalf pulled a map from his pocket.

"Bilbo, could we possibly have some more light?" Gandalf asked, and as Bilbo fetched a candle, Gandalf started to talk.

"This map will lead us to Erebor, and this was left to me by your father, though it was passed to me from a friend." Gandalf told them, and he soon pulled forth a key from his pocket.

"If there is a key...There must be a door." Fili spoke up.

"Then we'll find it and our master burglar will be able to get back our stone!" Another dwarf spoke.

"Aye, the ravens have already been seen returning to the mountain." Dori told them.

"Aye lad, and the scriptures say, it is time." Dwalin spoke up.

"Do you not think that others would have noticed these signs?" Thorin suddenly thundered as the other dwarves started talking amongst themselves. "The dragon hasn't been seen for over sixty years, others would have noticed this!"

Everyone went quiet just as there was a howl from outside and the sound of something scratching at the door.

"Ah, right on time, Bilbo, go and let our other friend in." Gandalf spoke as he puffed on his pipe.

As Bilbo left, Thorin watched him, before once he was out of earshot, he turned to Gandalf. "I cannot guarantee the Hobbit's safety." He whispered.

"I understand." Gandalf told him, and suddenly the Hobbit burst back into the room and he looked angry and frustrated.

"You have got to be joking!" He shouted to the wizard, causing everyone to stop and stare at the small and very angry Hobbit.

"Why Bilbo what is the matter?" Gandalf asked.

"What is this?" He gestured behind him and everyone saw a grey wolf sat patiently in the doorway of the Hobbit hole, looking at them, its amber eyes searching for something or someone.

"That wolf looks familiar."

Everyone then turned to Kili and found him getting up and walking closer to the wolf, Thorin tried to hold him back but did not react quick enough and Kili was soon right in front of the wolf. Yet the wolf did not growl or show any aggression, it just looked at him.

"It's alright." Kili told it. "I mean no harm." He carefully held a hand out to the beast and after a few minutes, the wolf rested its head against the palm of his hand.

"This is Uldoniair." Gandalf spoke. "The translation of his-"He cut off as the wolf growled. "Sorry, her name was lost a while ago." He told them. "Her master will be the one joining us; she is just here to guide us to meet them."

"We are just going to put all of our trust into a beast to lead us?" Gloin suddenly asked.

Kili looked at the wolf as she growled lowly at the dwarf who had offended her. "I think you just offended her." Kili told him. "She is actually a rather gentle animal by the looks of things."

"She is; Uldoniair is the most peaceful wild wolf I have ever seen." Gandalf told him. "Now, Mr Baggins, are you going to join us?" Gandalf asked, everyone, except for Kili, looking back at the Hobbit.

"I...I will." He sighed and as Balin handed over the papers that he needed to sign in order to join the adventure, before he signed it and showed the dwarves to the living room so that they could rest.

However, they did not rest straight away, they simply sat around, some smoking, some not, and they started singing after a few minutes. Bilbo and Gandalf simply listened to the song, it was a song about their home and it sounded like they were in mourning for that home.

Bilbo fell asleep to the dulcet tones of the dwarves singing, and when he next woke up, he found that the wolf had ended up curled up next to the fire place, closer to Bilbo than he would have liked at first. But curiosity got the better of him, and he gently moved a hand to touch the fur of the wolf, causing it to suddenly wake up and lift its head.

"Sorry." He whispered to it. "I feel stupid doing this, but can you understand me?" He asked her.

The wolf tilted her head as he spoke, before she nodded at his question and it caused Bilbo to freeze, before he saw movement and found Thorin staring at him and the wolf and Bilbo immediately felt awkward, until he realised that he was not actually looking at him, but at the wolf. But in the end, Thorin walked out of the house instead, causing Bilbo to just become more and more confused. He looked like he had recognised the wolf, just as Kili did, but he didn't act upon it, and he actually looked saddened by it. Bilbo decided not to follow him in case it only upset him further, so he left him be, too scared to do anything else, because in truth the only comfort he found was with Gandalf and now the wolf beside him, who had now rested her head on his lap and fallen back to sleep. Lying back and closing his eyes, Bilbo soon found him asleep, not waking again until the next morning. When he did wake up, he quickly ran to his room to get some things that he would need before he found the rest of the dwarves climbing onto ponies outside of his home.

"Here, Master Baggins, we have a pony for you." Thorin told the Hobbit and he watched as Fili and Kili pulled him up onto the back of the pony that was plodding between their own.

Bilbo was not exactly happy about it, but he let it go as they set off, he kept his head down until they were out of the Shire as many of his neighbours started looking at him with curious and questioning glances. Meanwhile, Thorin was leading them all away from the Shire and the wolf walked alongside him, he kept glancing down at her every few minutes, one to make sure that she was still there and two to see if he could remember where he had seen it before. Something about this seemed off to him, but for some reason it also comforted him, and he found himself wondering who the master of this wolf might be. Could it be the person he saw the other night? The rider with the gold bangle on their wrist? He hoped so, just so that now he would have answers over who this person was.


	3. Chapter 3

Meeting with strangers

They travelled by horse for days and Thorin knew that everyone was starting to get antsy, even the Hobbit who seemed to have the patience of the gods before had was starting to wear thin and he soon became more troublesome than the others the longer he was sat on his pony. Looking around them, they found nothing but trees and shrubbery, yet they followed the grey wolf regardless.

"Does this beast even know where it's going?" Oin asked from the back of the group.

"It is a she Master Oin, and yes I believe she does." Gandalf called back.

Suddenly everyone stopped as there were the sounds of a howl coming towards them and it was Kili who saw the source.

"Wargs!" He shouted.

"Arm yourselves!" Thorin shouted as he himself pulled out his sword as the wargs came charging towards them, they all jumped from their ponies, and as the wolves came close, they started to fight.

However, there were too many of them and Kili shouted for Thorin to look out, before the Warg that was about to pounce, fell to the floor, an arrow going through its eye. Yet there was no one around to claim the shot, yet more arrows flew through the air, hitting each Warg where it would kill it. When all of the Wargs were dead, everyone looked around and they were silent.

"Show yourself!" Thorin ordered.

Everyone looked around for a sign that someone was actually there, and it was only when Gandalf started to laugh did they all look at him.

"I thought we were meeting you in the valley." He spoke, looking to the side where they all found a hooded figure, the same figure that Thorin had seen months earlier.

The figure simply shrugged to the wizard, before they whistled and a large dark brown horse walked towards them and the rider slung the long bow and arrows that they had been holding onto its saddle, before they took the reins and started walking away.

The dwarves and hobbit all watched as the wolf followed the figure deeper into the woods, and soon Gandalf followed them, yet when he realised that the rest of the company weren't following, he looked back at them.

"Come on." He called back. "What are you waiting for?" He asked and the dwarves climbed onto their ponies and hurried them along.

They walked for a few hours more before they came to a wall of rock, and they watched as the rider pulled up a sleeve of their cloak and used their gold bangle to press against the rock, as they said a word which none but Gandalf could understand.

"Lach aew."

As the words left the rider's lips, a doorway started opening up. As the rider led them through the door, they all clasped eyes on a beautiful looking valley. It was down a sloping path, but at the end, there was lush green grass, flowers and trees everywhere and in the centre close to a crystal clear stream, which led from a waterfall at the far end of the valley, there was a small cottage type house.

"Wow." Most of the dwarves were in awe, it literally looked like heaven on Middle Earth, and the view was breathtaking.

"I could get used to seeing this every morning." Kili muttered.

"Aye brother, so could I, the only thing that would make it perfect would be a handful of beautiful women and a never ending tankard of ale." Fili told him as they reached the bottom of the slope.

"Well Master dwarf, I do not know about the handful of women and a never ending tankard, but maybe a single woman would suffice." Gandalf spoke.

"Gandalf, any woman would suffice." Fili told him. "It's been-"He stopped as Kili dug him in the ribs and he looked over at the ride who by now had been silently taking off their cloaks and gloves.

All of the dwarves watched as they took off their dusty cloak to reveal a puffy white shirt, with a leather waistcoat over the top, the shirt tucked into a pair of leather pants that emphasised the rider's pert behind, and they also wore the pants tucked into a pair of leather boots. They had their back to them, as they took a pin out of their hair to let dark waves run down their back. When they turned back around, the front of their body was just as beautiful as the back, the woman before them was gorgeous, with bright blue eyes that sparkled in the light, fair skin, voluptuous breasts that were emphasised by the waistcoat which fastened just under them and around her tiny waist, was a thick belt which held two swords.

When the rider looked at them, she noticed that they were all staring open mouthed, well all except for Gandalf.

"Would you like to come inside for some stew?" She spoke, her voice like music, and she waited for a reply from the dwarves.

"Oh for goodness sake, you all look like you have never seen a woman before." Gandalf told them. "Stew would be lovely." Gandalf told her and as she walked away, he hit most of the dwarves on the head with his staff. "Pull yourselves together and stop drooling Kili." He scolded.

Kili quickly wiped his drool from his mouth. "Sorry, but she is fucking gorgeous." He told the wizard. "Where has she been hiding all my life?"

"Kili." Thorin said his name in a warning tone, but his nephew still ran to chase after the maiden who had offered them stew.

Whilst the rest of his company remained inside, Thorin stayed outside, looking out at the stream as the ponies grazed around them, yet he paused when he heard footsteps approaching and he turned to find the woman walking to him carrying what looked like a steaming hot bowl.

"I brought you some stew." She told him. "I thought you might like some since you decided to stay out here, and it will help to keep you warm."

"Thank you." Thorin told her, taking the bowl.

"You're very welcome." She told him and she bowed her head before she headed back inside.

This time, Thorin followed her and upon entering her home, he found that his company had already made it a mess and the noise that they were making was almost ear splitting. Why had his company suddenly become so loud? He thought to himself as he found a seat at the table, looking around the cottage as he ate, he found it to be a homey place, with a roaring fire giving heat to the whole building easily. There were small windows letting in the light from the moon outside and few torches giving extra light and heat to certain parts of the room. The cauldron which hung above the fireplace, still holding stew, was obviously feeding his company rather well, and as Thorin ate his own serving, he thought this lady was a wonderful cook. He was enjoying his surroundings until he heard his youngest nephew speak.

"M'lady," He shouted over the noise of the other dwarves to get her attention from where she knelt on the ground next to Bilbo and the wolf, serving herself a small bowl full.

"Yes Master dwarf?" She asked.

"May I ask; when will we be meeting the master of the house?" Kili asked and Thorin wanted to strangle his nephew right there and then, but the lady's reply flew to his heartstrings.

"There is no master of the house, master dwarf." She told him. "There never has been and never will be."

"And why is that?" Bilbo asked her, rather timidly, almost like the little Hobbit had not seen a woman before.

"I am a half creature." She told him. "No man would have a half creature as his wife, at least not an outcast like I." She told him. "Eat up Master Hobbit, because you might not be able to get anymore." She told him with a smile and the Hobbit went back to eating as members of Thorin's company sprang forward at the meaning of possibly having no more of this tasty meal.

When everyone had finished, and Thorin had made them clean up, which delighted the lady to no end listening to them sing and watching them dance and throw her dishes around without a care, the lady pulled out blankets and pillows for them all to sleep.

"Someone will have to take my bed." She told them. "Gandalf, maybe you could?"

"Oh no my lady I couldn't, perhaps Thorin should, with him being the king." Gandalf looked over at said King who was leaning against a wall.

"No, I shall not, it is improper for a male dwarf to take a lady's bed from her." Thorin told them and he took a blanket from her. "Let the Hobbit take it, after all he looks to be missing the comforts of his box."

Bilbo simply nodded and skittered into the bedroom through the door that the lady had shown them and Thorin settled down on the floor with his men to sleep as Gandalf stayed in the chair he had been given and he pulled his hat down over his eyes as he fell asleep. During the night, the rider had made her way outside and in her absence; Thorin had been jolted awake to the sound of music. It was a sweet and alluring sound, almost like a flute, and he looked around at his snoring company, before he got to his feet and followed the sound out of the door, but unbeknownst to him, he was being watched by a smiling and knowing wizard who promptly drifted back off to sleep as the door closed. Once he was outside, he looked around for the source of that sweet sound, and he soon found the rider sat cross-legged on a rock, her cloak around her shoulders and she was playing a flute like instrument.

He listened in silence for a few minutes as the rider's song came to an end and Thorin remained silent for a few minutes, hoping that she would have another song for him, but instead she faced the stream in front of her and spoke.

"I know that you're there." She told him. "Do you normally just stand there and listen?"

"Usually, no, I have no time for music, but that was beautiful." He told her.

"Probably not right for your halls though." She told him. "It's not dwarvish."

"Why would that matter?" He asked, standing beside her.

"Believe me my Lord, I've learnt that you need to be one creature in this world or you will never be accepted." She told him, watching the stream.

"What are you then?" he asked her, and he mentally cursed himself, for he had not meant it to come out that sharp.

"I'm half elf...And half Dwarf." She told him. "My mother was an elf of Mirkwood, and my father, well all I know is that he was a dwarf."

"That isn't possible." Thorin told her. "The elves of Mirkwood are enemies to many dwarf clans."

"I know which is why I was conceived." She told him. "I am a bastard child, created in hate and spite." She told him. "My father didn't love my mother; he just wanted to ruin her...taking her against her will until she became pregnant."

Thorin couldn't believe what he was hearing, he had never thought that any dwarf would take their hate that far as to destroy the purity of an elf maiden, much less abandon their child, for all children were sacred to the dwarves.

"I understand if you can't bear to be near me now." She told him. "No one else can."

Thorin looked at the young lass beside him and he felt for her, she looked young but he didn't doubt that she had seen things that only he could dream of, but yet he felt like she was still only a child who now needed his protection.

"What's your name?" He asked.

"People tend to call me Phoenix." She told him.

"And why is that?" He asked.

"Because I can set things on fire." She told him. "What do they call you?" She asked.

"Thorin Oakenshield." He told her, and he saw her stiffen in realisation of the name. "What is it?"

"Son of Thrain?" She asked. "Son of Thror, King under the Mountain?" She asked.

"Yes...How did you know?"

"Thorin, I know your father." She told him. "He's still alive."

 **Translations**

Lach aew : Fire bird


	4. Chapter 4

A day with her

Thorin seemed to be pretty much frozen as he let the news from Phoenix sink in. His father was really alive? After not finding any sign of him since he ran from the battle months ago, he and his sister had given up, but now this stranger knew about him? Did she know where he was? Could she get into contact with him? He looked at the half elf, half dwarf beside him and he suddenly had a million questions, and it looked like she knew it as she seemed to steel herself for something.

"How do you know of him?" He asked.

"I found an orc troop heading towards Dol Gudur." She told him. "They had a single prisoner, the poor creature looked broken and on the verge of death, I knew that I had to save him. I was miles from this Valley, so I knew I needed to be fast, so I took out the orcs and got him out of his cage and helped him onto my horse." She continued. "That wasn't an easy job, he was frightened and almost out of his mind, but once I showed my face, he seemed to be more relaxed. So I raced through the forest and lands to get back here, where I knew I could find something to help him heal, Carnahan refused to rest until our three day journey was completed." She smiled slightly at the memory and gently touching her horse's neck as he walked closer to the sound of his name. "When I brought him here, I got him onto my bed, stripped his metal armour away, leaving him in his under cloths, washed him down, mended his broken bones and infected wounds and stayed up with him every night to make sure he made it." She looked up to the sky now as she spoke and Thorin watched her with anticipation. "When he was healed and able to speak I helped him to change into some fresh clothing, handmade by myself, and I fed him as much food as he could muster, and helped him regain his strength with daily duelling lessons." She looked at him. "He spoke about you all of the time, you and your sister I think, he said her name was Dis or Dice or something like that."

"Dis." Thorin corrected.

"Yes, her, he told me how she was expecting a child and how he hoped that it would be a son. And he spoke of how he hoped that you had married a nice dwarrowdam and were raising your own family in the near future." Phoenix told him.

"That hasn't happened yet, but maybe once I take back my homeland, I could look at taking a wife." He told her with a relieved sigh. "Have you heard from him recently?"

"Not in the past few months, but he comes to visit sometimes." She told him. "He told me that he would go to the Blue Mountains to look for you, but judging from your shocked expression and the fact that you've been hunting for him for some time now, I don't think he has gone back." She asked.

"No, he hasn't." Thorin sighed.

"I will send Uldoniair out with letters to look for him whilst we leave for your quest." She told him.

"Thank you Phoenix." Thorin nodded.

She nodded in return. "Now you should go back to sleep, it's late."

Thorin nodded and he soon went back inside to sleep, he fell asleep quite easily, knowing that his father was alive and well, lifted his spirits greatly and it made him fall asleep quickly. When he woke up the following morning, he found that his company had already gone, but the laughter from outside suggested that they weren't far. Getting to his feet, he headed outside to where he found them all down at the stream and they were stark naked!

"Uncle, come and join us!" Fili shouted as he whipped his brother's bare behind with a towel.

"Owe, Fili!" Kili shouted and lunged himself at his brother, both of them falling into the stream.

Thorin rolled his eyes, before he headed back inside where he found Phoenix walking out from her bedroom fastening a crisp white shirt over her chest, and buttoning up her waistcoat.

"Forgive me, I did not wish to interrupt your dressing." Thorin spoke, turning his back.

"It's alright Thorin; you wouldn't have been able to see anything." She told him. "But I thank you for your ability to advert your eyes."

"It is unjust to see a lady in a state of undress without their permission." Thorin shrugged as he turned back to her. This woman was beautiful, and for once, the fact that she was half elf and half dwarf did not bother him.

She gave him a smile that stopped his heart, how could he fall for a woman so quickly? It almost scared him; no one had captured his heart at all in his life, let alone this quickly!

"Would you like some breakfast?" She asked.

"If there is any left," He told her.

"I've just finished making some porridge; I'm sorry it's probably not what you're used to, but it is hearty and will fill your stomach for a long time." She told him as she knelt by the fireplace.

"It's alright, I'll eat anything." He told her and at her giggle he cursed himself, now he sounded like a greedy dwarf, when in comparison to others in his company, he ate very little.

He watched as she brought a bowl to be placed in front of him, the food inside the bowl looked mushy and lumpy, and it was white, as in almost as white as the clouds on a sunny day.

"It does not look like much, but it tastes good." She told him. "Especially, with a bit of honey," She handed him the jar of honey and Thorin put some onto his breakfast, however he almost overfilled the bowl as he was captivated with her sitting opposite him.

"You must really like honey." She told him, nodding to the pile of honey on his porridge.

"Oh..." Thorin couldn't think of anything else to say as he stared at the lump of amber coloured liquid. "Yeah, I do."

"Well, would you mind sharing?" She asked, and she held out a hand for the honey pot, which he gladly handed to her.

"Yeah...Sorry about that...My mind was elsewhere," Thorin told her as he watched her dribble a bit of honey onto her own breakfast.

"Yes, I thought it would be after what I told you about your father." She confirmed, mixing her honey into her porridge with her spoon.

Thorin was thankful that she came up with a lie instead of him having too, he did not fancy telling her that he was too busy watching her, after all that would come across as very creepy, very creepy indeed. Thorin looked over at her and he knew that he needed to change the topic of conversation quickly, even if it was just to keep hearing her voice and then he noticed her quiver of arrows hung up by the door and he recognised them from somewhere.

"I believe I have something of yours." He suddenly spoke and he reached into his jacket pocket, putting out the tip of the arrow that he had found.

"I left that for you months ago." She told him. "I can't believe you kept it."

"What else would I do with it, it is only the end, but it is made expertly." He told her and he saw a soft blush form on her cheeks. "I was going to fashion some of the same design for myself for when I go hunting."

"I could show you if you wanted." She offered.

"If you would like to," Thorin smiled and the woman across the table from him gave him a smile all her own, it lit up her whole face with beauty.

The rest of their eating was covered in silence but neither of them minded they were simply enjoying each other's company, which did not last long when the door to the cottage was suddenly thrown open and Thorin's company suddenly tumbled in.

The minute they saw the two eating, they all stared and they seemed to be stuck on what to do whilst Kili and Fili looked at them both in amusement and surprise before they ran to grab a bowl and some porridge that Phoenix had moved to dish up for the dwarves, even the Hobbit was amongst the group as they all stared at the porridge that was given to them, well all except the Hobbit who took the honey and drizzled it onto his breakfast with almost glee and he ate with a feverish hunger.

"What is this stuff?" Gloin asked.

"It is porridge." Phoenix told him as she got a bone from a hiding place on top of a cupboard.

"Must be elvish stuff," Dwalin told him.

"I for one will not eat this elvish swill." Gloin told her. "We want real food."

"Master Dwarf I do not know what you are used to eating, but that is the only food for at least one hundred miles, if you do not wish to eat it then fine, but if you do not eat it then do not complain about your hunger because I for one will not give you sympathy." She told him and her quick tongue impressed Thorin who hid his smirk well.

"How dare you speak to me, outcast?" Gloin snarled as Phoenix was about to walk to the door with the bone and her hand tensed on the bone almost as if she considered throwing it at Gloin.

Everyone had stopped to watch what was going on between the two and Gloin seemed pleased when Phoenix did not have a comeback, until she really said something to upset him.

"Menu shirumund," She told him before she curtsied and left through the door just as Gloin went bright red in the face and charged after her before anyone could stop him.

Once outside, the entirety of the dwarves crowded around to watch and they watched as Phoenix threw the bone for her wolf to catch. Suddenly she was tackled by Gloin who held his walking axe pressed to her throat, cutting off her breathing.

"Speak again elf scum and I will cut your throat." He warned her.

"Gloin let her go!" Thorin commanded.

"Not until this elf bitch fucking takes back what she said." He told him.

"I said let her go!" Thorin shouted, getting up to his feet.

"What is going on here?" Gandalf asked as he walked down from the entrance towards them, but Gloin ignored all of them, and when he looked down at Phoenix he noticed something. Her eyes were glowing bright red and suddenly the handle of his axe got too hot and he dropped it with a yell and he suddenly found himself on his back, Phoenix standing over him, a sword to his throat as hers was bleeding.

"You are in my valley!" She told him. "If you dare to insult me, then you can leave." She told him, the tip of her sword glowing red hot as it hovered inches from Gloin's throat.

"Phoenix let him go." Gandalf told her. "Phoenix, ech avaú gar an cuio di ech mai ech medui tîn cuil hí."

"Do not be so sure Mithrandir." Phoenix told him but she removed the sword anyway and sheathed it back in her belt, before she walked inside the cottage and slammed the door shut.

"Now, what on earth caused that?" Gandalf asked, looking at the dwarves and Hobbit.

"He called her an outcast." Kili told the wizard.

"But why would that bother her?" Ori asked.

"Because Master Ori, Phoenix's people turned their back on her because she is half elf and half dwarf, her own Kin wanted her dead." Gandalf explained. "Only the man she calls her father kept her safe with his family."

The dwarves looked at each other whilst Thorin looked at the door to the cottage, debating whether he should go after Phoenix to make sure that she is alright, but Gandalf stopped him.

"It is best to leave her alone so that she can cool down." Gandalf told him, and so he did, in the end he started sparring with his company.

When it became late, and it was almost time for supper, Thorin was about to go out with Kili to retrieve some meat, when the door to the cottage opened and Phoenix walked out, dressed in her rider cloak, and mask over her mouth. She walked past them without a word, reached her horse where she fastened his saddle onto him and she attached her bow and arrows, before she jumped up into the saddle before she tugged on the reigns and the horse took off in a run towards the entrance and once it was through there, she was gone.

"Well, that was rude." Dori muttered.

"Enough." Thorin told them. "Gloin you will apologise to her when she returns, and I do not wish to hear one more word about Phoenix, is that clear?" He looked at the company.

"Yes Thorin, you heard our king and the lass have been good to us, letting us stay somewhere warm and providing us with food, and then you go and insult her all because she didn't give you any meat for breakfast." Balin told him, as he watched Dwalin hit Gloin on the back of the head. "Maybe you should be a bit grateful."

"Even on the road we have more meat than whatever slop she offered." Gloin told them.

"Gloin, shut up!" Thorin suddenly thundered and the entire group looked at him in fear, before they all sat around, waiting, until Bofur got to his feet.

"Right, well I'm not sitting around, I'm going to give her a hand." He told they and he ran inside and when Fili, Kili, Ori and Thorin followed, they found him looking through the cupboard and pulling out everything he would need in order to make a stew.

Thorin, Fili, Kili and Ori all watched as Bofur suddenly had a vegetable stew simmering away on the fire pit and they jumped when they heard footsteps and found the wolf walking towards them.

"Uldoniair, when will she be back?" Thorin asked and the wolf seemed to look at him for a few minutes before they also seemed to shrug.

"Uncle, the wolf seems pretty happy with you." Fili observed and Thorin looked down to notice that the wolf was rubbing her head against him in a friendly gesture.

"And you with it." Kili noted, watching Thorin stroke the wolf.

"Could it be that you have fallen for her master?" Fili asked.

"Can we expect to call her Aunt in the future?" Kili joked.

"Shut up the pair of you." Thorin warned them. "But no, I merely enjoy the silence which you two are incapable of having."

Both of them shut up at that point as Thorin went back to stroking the wolf's head and he watched as Bofur kept checking his stew and Fili and Kili even got bowls out in readiness just as there was the sound of hooves drawing closer and they heard Dwalin.

"Here lass, let me take that." There was the sound of something being dragged to the floor from a great height. "Lass you have certainly got more than we ever thought in this part of the woods." He praised.

"Thank you, master dwarf." Phoenix told him as she walked inside and she paused at seeing Thorin, Bofur, Fili and Kili. "What are you three doing here?"

"I was hoping to get you a stew started to warm you up." Bofur told her. "It's only a few vegetables and some seasoning, but I wasn't sure what meat you would bring back, so unfortunately it is very simply made."

"It will be fine." She told him as she hung up her cloak and weapons. "I brought back some venison; I hope that is to your liking."

"Thank you." Thorin told her.

"Your dwarf with the battle axe and the tattoos on his head was cleaning the kill." She told them as she walked into her room and left them to it.

During the evening, Gandalf helped with the setting up bowls of food and he even made a bowl for Phoenix, who had not come out of her room since she got back and Thorin watched as the old wizard walked to her door and knocked with his staff.

"Phoenix, would you let me in?" He asked.

"Please Gandalf; I am not very hungry right now." She told him through the door and Gandalf seemed to know better than to force the half breed to eat anything, so he left the bowl on top of the fireplace where it would be kept warm.

Thorin waited all night for Phoenix to come out of her room, but she never did and he grew worried, so worried that he could not sleep and when everyone else had fallen into snores of deep slumber, he picked himself up and walked to her room and he knocked gently.

"Gandalf go away." Phoenix's voice called out.

"It's not Gandalf." Thorin told her.

"What is it Thorin?" She asked.

"I merely wish to talk." He told her and he smiled slightly as he was let into the room, where he shut the door behind him. He took a few minutes to look around the room, and he found it to be quite plain, with only a bed made of the lightest wood that Thorin had ever seen, and there was a chest at the foot of the bed which obviously held blankets and possibly clothing. Then there was a stand in the corner that held an extra cloak and some extra weapons such as her swords. Thorin noticed the small size of the room and the limited amount of furniture but he felt comfortable in the room, yet that comfort soon disappeared when he saw Phoenix looking at him from where she was stood by an open window, highlighted in moonlight.

"What is it Thorin?" She asked.

"I came to see if you were alright." Thorin told her.

"I am fine." She told him.

"Oh...Good...Um..."

"I don't expect you to know what it's like." She told him. "Being half of two creatures, not belonging to either one, but I can at least assume that you know what it is like to want to belong somewhere."

"I do." Thorin told her, sitting on the edge of her bed. He felt for her, she was actually alone if what Gandalf had said was true, but maybe that was not all that he felt. Maybe his nephews were right, maybe he was starting to fall for Phoenix, after all they had only known each other for a few days, but if every day was like it had been when they had breakfast together that morning. He would happily spend every day with her.

 **Translations**

Menu Shiumund : You are beardless

Phoenix, ech avaú gar an cuio di ech maid ech medui tîn cuil hí : Phoenix, you will not be able to live with yourself if you end his life now


	5. Chapter 5

Off on an adventure

The next morning, the dwarves woke up to breakfast already sitting on the table, it was the same porridge that had been given to them the previous morning and for once, Gloin did not comment on it. They all ate quickly, Bilbo being antagonised by Fili and Kili.

"Mister Baggins, maybe you should savour your breakfast, heavens knows when you're going to be able to have some of this again." Kili told him as he nudged his shoulder.

"Is there anymore?" Bombur asked.

"There should be some in the cauldron Bombur." Bofur told him as he walked over and got his cousin another bowl full.

By the time everyone had eaten their fill, they walked outside to find all of their ponies had been saddled and were happily carrying their packs, and then they looked around for Phoenix and Gandalf, only to find them in the field behind the cottage. All of the dwarves watched as Phoenix rode her horse without a saddle and no one could deny how happy she looked. She was only riding her horse in a circle around Gandalf who was happily leaning on his staff and watching her.

"Have you not been able to use your powers properly?" Gandalf asked. "After over two thousand years on this earth, do you still not have the liberty?"

"Gandalf the Grey, my powers are not safe." She told him and as the horse kept riding, she suddenly stood on its back and back flipped onto the ground, landing comfortably on her feet and she walked to Gandalf who handed her, her travelling cloak.

"Now that we're all up, I say we should get going." Gandalf told them as he looked over at the dwarves and Phoenix put her horse's saddle on his back, fastening it.

"She's coming with us?" Kili asked, his eyes shining with hope.

"Aye Master Kili, Phoenix will be joining us, I think that her skills will be much needed." Gandalf told the young dwarf who rushed forward and helped Phoenix onto her horse, even though she obviously didn't need it.

Thorin's body tensed as he watched his nephew fawn over the woman, and he suddenly hated the feeling in his stomach. He should not be having feelings of jealousy towards someone who he had only just met and who was not even his in any sense, she was just someone who was joining the company. Yet he watched Phoenix with almost possessiveness as she made herself comfortable in her saddle and she led them up towards the exit once Gandalf was ready. Soon they were all riding their ponies through the forest, Phoenix and Gandalf riding ahead with Thorin close behind. He listened in to their conversations which did not result in much, except he found out a bit more about Phoenix, she had been chased from her home by her father's people, and resided in the Valley of Peace, ever since. Her wolf was her most trusted companion and she had yet to find love, that part had made Thorin's heart flutter in hope but he quickly pushed it aside. After a while, the others were becoming restless, and it only got worse as it started to thunder overhead, but it did not seem to bother Phoenix and Gandalf, only the dwarves and the poor hobbit. The rain came down hard and fast and everyone was drenched in quick time, yet Gandalf and Phoenix talked happily together, the rain not bothering them as they conversed. They travelled a while longer before he heard Dori's voice.

"Mr Gandalf, can't you do something about this deluge?" He called up and Thorin thought he heard a short giggle that could only come from Phoenix.

"It is raining Master Dwarf, if you want to stop the weather then find yourself another wizard." Gandalf told him, before he looked at Phoenix. "And you Miss Phoenix, why don't you ride ahead and-"He stopped when he saw the hard look that was on Phoenix's face.

"Phoenix, what is it?" Gandalf asked and Thorin looked up at hearing him.

"Everyone, be quiet." Phoenix shouted.

"What is it?" Dwalin shouted over but was shushed by some of the dwarves nearby.

"Stay here." Phoenix told them as she slid from her saddle and as she walked forward a few steps, she was suddenly tackled by a figure. As she was held down by a sword on her throat, Thorin and the others watched as Phoenix had no fear in her eyes as she pushed the sword away with one of her own and she got back to her feet, only using one sword as the other remained strapped to her belt and she and the figure started to fight. Everyone watched and they all marvelled her skill with a single blade and suddenly her opponents' sword was on the other side of the clearing that they were occupying and the figure fell to their knees in front of her.

"Please, forgive me!" The individual pleaded. "I did not realise that it was you."

"Should I believe you or teach you a lesson?" Phoenix asked.

"Please don't."

"Uncover yourself; let them see your face." Phoenix told him, looking back to the dwarves, Gandalf and Hobbit. "You cannot hide from them."

The figure removed their hood to show a dark haired man, his hair as dark as the storm clouds above them with eyes as pale as morning fog.

"Everyone, this is Aaronhild, he serves the Rangers with me." Phoenix told them and whilst it was still raining, she did not put her hood up, not really seeing the point of it anymore.

"Do you need a place to rest?" Aaronhild asked. "I have a cave near here; it's big enough for all of you."

The dwarves all nodded happily at the thought of getting out of the rain, yet Thorin was suspicious of this young ranger who seemed to be pretty close to Phoenix in more ways than one. Phoenix walked back to them and she took her horse's reigns.

"Right, follow me then." Aaronhild told them as he led them away.

Everyone followed him and soon they came to a large cliff edge with a cave and the dwarves happily dismounted, letting their horses find their own shelter as they gathered around a fire pit and Kili tried to light it, but with his lighting rock wet it was proving difficult.

"Phoenix, could you possibly?" Aaronhild asked, looking at Phoenix who was ringing out her short dark locks so that they did not carry too much water from the rain and with a free hand; she suddenly had the fire going.

"What?" Kili asked, looking at her. "How did you do that?"

"It is a form of elvish magic." Phoenix shrugged. "It is also very rare magic."

"Master Kili, Phoenix can create a flame from the air around you, so I'd be careful." Gandalf warned and all of the dwarves and Hobbit looked at her with some newfound interest.

"Right, I'll go and hunt for some lunch, since that was what I was doing before I came across you lot." Aaronhild told them, picking up his sword and some daggers.

"Allow some of the dwarves to go with you." Phoenix suggested. "Dwalin, Gloin, why don't you two go with him?"

"I don't take orders from a-"Gloin started but was cut off by Thorin's voice.

"Good idea, Dwalin, Gloin, go with the boy." Thorin told them and he watched as Gloin walked away, grumbling.

Whilst the three of them went out to see if they could get anything to eat, Phoenix and the remaining members of the company found their bedding and found some places to sleep, laying out their bedding and Phoenix was the first to be sitting by the fire, using her hands to braid her hair in order to keep it together.

"I didn't know elves braided their whole hair." Fili told her as he sat beside her.

"Some do, but it's only to sleep, whilst I braid mine anytime for anything." She told him. "It just keeps it out of my face so I don't get distracted by stray hairs."

"Oh right." Fili smiled. "That sounds like a good idea to be honest."

"Why don't you try it for yourself?" She suggested. "Braid your own hair."

"Maybe I will." He smiled.

Phoenix simply smiled back, stoking the fire with a stick that she found lying around and the two lapsed into a rather comfortable silence.

Eventually the hunting party came back and they all decided to eat and get some sleep, Aaronhild ended up setting up his bedding next to Phoenix which did not sit well with the other dwarves but Phoenix told them to go to sleep. As the fire died, more and more of the company fell asleep, until a voice asked into the darkness.

"Phoenix, can't you make this floor more comfortable?" Kili asked.

"I could melt you into the floor Kili if that would make you feel better." Phoenix suggested and at the scared silence that followed everyone started to fall back to sleep.

"Kili just go to sleep." Thorin told him and his nephew was soon snoring away.

Meanwhile, Phoenix awoke towards the end of the night and she got up, walking to the edge of the cave. She stayed sat there for a few minutes before she heard footsteps behind her and she saw Bilbo sitting down beside her.

"Hello Bilbo." She smiled softly, her voice quiet to not wake the rest of the company and Aaronhild.

"Hello Phoenix." He greeted, his voice just as quiet, the poor Hobbit sounded tired, and Phoenix felt sorry for him, this hobbit was not used to sleeping rough.

"What can I do for you?" She asked.

"I couldn't sleep, and I saw that you were awake...Phoenix what else can you do?" Bilbo asked out of curiosity.

"Well, I can control fire..." She told him. "And just between us, my name is Phoenix for another reason...I can bring back the dead." She told him and she saw the shock in the small hobbit's face. "But only dwarves and elves."

"Wow, that's amazing, and it might come in handy." The hobbit told her and it caused her to smile before she looked over the ledge at the sound of howling and orcs speaking in the tongue of the black speech.

"It is Orcs." Balin told her as he stood beside her, and Phoenix looked at him then back at the cave where everyone was now awake and sitting up looking at them.

"Not my favourite." Phoenix told him and Balin smiled grimly.

"They are not mine either, lass." He told her.

"I'll keep watch; you and the others get some sleep Balin." She told him.

"Lass, you need to sleep too." He told her.

"I'll be fine." Phoenix told he and she watched the elder dwarf go back to his sleeping roll and she sat on the ground, her swords on either side of her, keeping an eye out for the orcs that she could hear.

Throughout the night, she kept her hands close to her swords, her elf eyes trained on any movements that seemed out of place, she could hear the snores of the dwarves behind her and it made her wonder why none of them had come up to find them, but she was slightly relieved that they did not. As the sun rose over the horizon, Phoenix picked up her bow and arrows and went to find some breakfast. She walked through the forest; she welcomes the silence and peace that came with it. The forest was abundant with enough small creatures to suffice the company, but she was not entirely sure about Aaronhild. Yet she managed to gather at least five rabbits, before she brought them back to the camp and that was how the dwarves, wizard, hobbit and ranger found her, sitting in front of a fire cooking the rabbits on spits.

"Mornin' lass," Balin greeted. "What have you got for us there?"

"It is just some rabbits." She told him as she watched the other dwarves clean away their bedding and get ready to leave as Phoenix handed out some of the cooked meat. "There is not much to hunt on this side of the mountain."

"Best game is at the top." Aaronhild told them as he ate his own share. "If you had gone further you would have actually found something."

"Hey, I did not have to feed you; I could have sent you to get your own." Phoenix told him.

"Is there any more?" Bombur asked.

"Master dwarf, how you can eat so much and not explode remains as a mystery to myself." Phoenix told him and she passed him some more rabbit from her own plate.

Thorin smiled slightly as he watched his company all talk and make game with each other as they ate, but he watched the human in discontent; he should be grateful that Phoenix had thought to give him some food, after all if it was Thorin, he would not have fed him at all, but he did not say anything, only finished his share of food and got his pony ready. When the sun was high and everyone was ready, he climbed back onto his pony, and along with his company rode off as Phoenix walked with Aaronhild, she had ignored him since the incident this morning and no one could blame her.

"Where are you heading?" Aaronhild asked after he got fed up with the silence that Phoenix was comfortable with.

"We are travelling, our destination is still unknown." Phoenix told him and Thorin was glad that she did not share his secrets or the reason for their travels frivolously.

"But to where, exactly," Aaronhild pressed. "You cannot simply travel without some idea of a destination."

"I travel wherever my companions do, the destination is up to them." Phoenix told him, her eyes trained straight ahead as she stroked her horse's mane as they walked.

"Allow me to accompany you." He told her. "Heaven knows, one woman with over a dozen men, you need some protection."

His speech made everyone stop and suddenly Aaronhild was hit with a swift punch to his left jaw, the force knocking him off the ground and onto his back. He looked over at the dwarves who were staring at both him and Phoenix in shock, mainly because of what he had said and the fact that Phoenix had that kind of punch on her.

"Master Aaronhild, not only have you insulted a being who is the empirical of purity and chastity, but you have also insulted all of the company, I suggest you apologise before all of these dwarves are out asking for your head." Gandalf told him. "And I will be inclined to let them."

Aaronhild looked at the company and then Phoenix. "Forgive me, I only wished to point out that woman are easily mislead in the throes of lust, I would not want her to give her purity away so easily to a group of dwarves." Aaronhild told them. "After all, I know that no one wants to lie with a hybri-" He was cut off by a cry of pain and Phoenix's foot landed on his family jewels and the rest of the company winced in sorrow before they watched as Phoenix mounted her horse and was off, riding ahead.

When Phoenix was out of sight, Thorin looked at the ranger before he looked at his company.

"Onward, we need to find shelter before it gets too dark, and we need to find Phoenix." Thorin told them and he pushed his pony onwards with the rest of his company following him. They travelled until the sun was just starting to set and they found Phoenix sitting in front of a campfire, turning a spit which already held a deer carcass on it.

"Oh yes, venison." Bombur sighed in content as he got off his poor pony that could only just hold up its own weight.

"There was a herd nearby when I got here; I've already started the stew." She told them.

"Here lass, allow me to finish it, you already made the breakfast." Bofur told her and Phoenix nodded as she got up from her seat turning the meat and Ori took over as Nori and Bofur continued stirring the stew and checking the meat.

Thorin watched as everyone settled down on their sleeping mats, and he watched as all of the dwarves settle. Ori, Nori and Bofur were fixing dinner, Fili and Kili had been sent to watch the ponies, Gandalf was sat with Phoenix, Dwalin and Gloin, whilst Oin, Dori, Balin, Bifur, Bombur and Bilbo sat together talking. Thorin stood keeping watch as he listened to them talk and every so often, he looked over at Phoenix, admired the look of concentration on her face as she made arrows and sharpened her swords. Suddenly he felt someone join him and he saw that Aaronhild had come to stand beside him, a hand on his own sword.

"You love her."

Aaronhild's words made Thorin freeze before he looked at him, Aaronhild had not looked at him, simply stared ahead at the hillside before them.

"What?" He growled.

"You are in love with Phoenix." Aaronhild spoke again.

Thorin looked at him for a long time, he hadn't known Phoenix for long, and yet she had been following him for most of his life and he did feel something for her, and these few days these feelings had gotten stronger, but love? Could it really be that after such a short time together? He doubted it, but something in him made it sound possible, like he could be in love with her. He suddenly remembered a day in which he had learnt a valuable lesson about women from his father when he was a lad.

 _He had been young and he had been practicing his sword fighting in the courtyard of Erebor with one of his closest friends who had later become the husband of his sister Dis and the father of his nephews Fili and Kili. He had not noticed a group of dwarrowdams stood nearby who had obviously dressed up so that he would take notice, yet he was much too busy practicing and enjoying some free time with his friend._

 _"_ _My Prince, your fans are back." His opponent nodded to the dwarrowdams nearby who all giggled as Thorin looked over._

 _"_ _Interesting," Thorin mused, before he and his friend got back to fighting. "I have no time for dwarrowdams or relationships."_

 _"_ _Thorin,"_

 _Both of them stopped and they found Thrain had been watching them and as he walked over Thorin watched as his opponent dropped his sword and bowed, Thorin put his back into its holder that was strapped to his waist and he looked at his father as he walked over._

 _"_ _I believe you and I need to talk, my son." Thrain told them and he looked at the surrounding dwarves. "Leave us."_

 _With a bow, Thorin's opponent left the two alone as the dwarrowdams quickly dispersed under Thrain's command. When they were fully alone, Thorin looked at his father in curiosity._

 _"_ _What is it, father?" Thorin asked. "Is everything okay?"_

 _"_ _Everything is fine." Thrain told him. "But I've noticed that you seem to think that you are unable to find a relationship."_

 _"_ _It's not that..." Thorin started with a sigh._

 _"_ _Then what is it?" Thrain asked._

 _"_ _No one here takes my interest." He shrugged. "But even if they did, how would I know it was real and not just for my title?"_

 _"_ _That is easy my son." Thrain smiled. "I thought the same when I met your mother, I worried that she only loved me because I was next in line for the throne." Thrain told him. "But the best way to tell is that first touch." Thrain told him._

 _"_ _What do you mean?" He asked._

 _"_ _When you touch their skin, say you touch their hand, something will happen, some of our people call it 'Love's flutter'." Thrain told him._

 _"_ _What is it?"_

 _"_ _It is how you know that you're in love, it is how you feel at that moment you touch someone, the other person feels it too and it's how you know that you're meant to be together." Thrain told him. "Now, I must leave you, I need to sort some things out."_

 _With that, the older prince left his son to stand in the middle of the training arena, going through what he was just told and since then, Thorin had been looking for 'Love's Flutter' with anyone he came into contact with and so far, he'd given up hope._

He had not realised that he had not given Aaronhild an answer even though he was stood staring at the man.

"What if I was?" Thorin asked.

"Well, it wouldn't be, would it?" He asked. "You need an heir with some little dwarrowdam and she isn't one." He shrugged.

"That wouldn't matter." Thorin told him. "I could have heirs with anyone I wanted."

"But would you really want an heir with her?" He asked. "She's a bastard child of two species who hate each other, what would come from that?"

Thorin pushed his anger over how he was talking about Phoenix back and he looked at the woman in question, who was listening to a war story from Dwalin and she looked happy with a smile that lit up her face and all of her beauty. Inside he wondered whether Phoenix could be the one that his father had told him about, could she truly be his 'Love Flutter'? After all, it was not like Thorin needed an heir of his own, his eldest nephew was capable of becoming king after he passed, but some companionship that comes with a love would be nice. After all, he had heard the stories of how a relationship works from Gloin who still had a wife and son to go home to, and Thorin had always thought that it would be nice to go through that, to have someone to wake up to every morning, to have someone to spend the day with when he was free from kingly duties, someone to grow old with, someone to sleep next to and hold in his arms. It was all nice to dream about, but he wondered if he and Phoenix could have that, if she was his love flutter after all. He soon ignored everything that Aaronhild was telling him and his mind was soon swarmed with thoughts of Phoenix sharing his life with him, her as a Queen of Erebor, and he did not realise that Gandalf had also joined them.

"Thorin, might I have a word?" Gandalf asked.

"You may." He told him.

Aaronhild looked at the pair of them and they watched him walk away, moving to sit next to Phoenix and he watched her as she sharpened her swords.

Gandalf waited a few minutes before he decided to talk to Thorin about what was on his mind, yet the longer he waited, the more impatient the Dwarf beside him became.

"What is it you wish to talk about?" Thorin asked.

"I wish to talk about our next destination." Gandalf told him.

"And where may that be?" Thorin asked.

"A farmer and his family used to live here; it's not safe for us to stay." Gandalf told him. "I think that it would be wiser for us to move on."

"And go where?" Thorin asked.

"We could make for the hidden valley." Gandalf told him.

"I've told you already, I will not go near that place." Thorin told him.

"But, why not?" Gandalf argued. "The elves could help us, we could restock our supplies, get a decent night's sleep, advice and not to mention allow Phoenix some time with her family."

Thorin glanced over at Phoenix who seemed to be oblivious to their talking, before he looked back at the wizard. "We do not need their advice."

"I say different, we have a map that neither of us can read, Lord Elrond could help us." He told him.

"Help us?" Thorin spat. "Where was the help of the elves when my people were attacked by Smaug?" He asked.

"Lord Elrond couldn't have helped in time Thorin, you know that." Gandalf told him. "Put your pathetic hate aside for a moment."

"They betrayed my grandfather and my father." Thorin argued.

"You are neither of them." Gandalf told him. "I did not give you that key for you to hold onto the past."

"It was not yours to keep." Thorin told him.

With a sigh of exasperation, Gandalf walked away from him and the rest of the camp watched them.

"Is everything alright?" Bilbo asked and his question even caused Phoenix to look up at them. "Gandalf, where are you going?"

"To seek the company of the only one around here who has any sense." Gandalf told him as he walked away from the group.

"And who might that be?" Bilbo asked.

"Myself, Master Baggins," Gandalf told him. "I've had enough of dwarves for one day." He grumbled as he disappeared into the moors.

Everyone looked at each other, before most of them went back to what they were doing, and Phoenix looked over at Thorin who was looking over an old building that had long since been left to rot, and leaving her weapons with Aaronhild, she walked over to him.

"Do you wish to talk about it?" She asked him.

"What should we talk about?" He asked.

"There's yours and Gandalf's conversation for a start." She told him.

"I refuse to seek advice from a group of elves." He told her.

"Why?" She asked, and she was dreading the answer that he would give her.

"Because, they are nothing but stubborn, hard headed, selfish, cowardly little sprites!" He spat.

"All of them?" She asked.

"Yes all of them, if I had the choice, I'd destroy all of them."

Phoenix looked at him. "Right, well I shall keep out of your way then." She told him and as she walked away, Thorin realised what he had said and he mentally kicked himself – she was half elf! However he did not apologise or go near and soon the night had set in as everyone gathered around the campfire to eat.

"He's been an awfully long time." Bilbo told them as he paced nervously.

"Who has?" Bofur asked.

"Gandalf." Bilbo told him in worry.

"He's a wizard, don't worry about him, he'll be fine." Bofur told him, before he handed him two bowls. "Here take these to the lads."

As Bilbo walked off, Thorin noticed that Phoenix had been sat on a rock keeping watch over the marshes and he put his own meal down, before he handed another empty bowl to Bombur who happily filled it, and he took a breath before he walked over to where Phoenix sat.

The smell of the stew caused her to turn and face him and he held the bowl out to her and let her take it, without a single touch to his skin.

"I thought you might be hungry." He told her.

"Thank you." She told him, looking back out over the marshes.

"Phoenix, I-"He was cut off from saying more as both Fili and Kili burst onto the camp.

"Uncle, you all better come quickly." Fili gasped.

"What is it?" Thorin asked.

"It's Bilbo, some trolls took the ponies, Bilbo went after them, and he doesn't stand a chance." Kili told them and suddenly the others had forgotten about their meals and had grabbed their weapons, whether it was to defend the hobbit or save their ponies, Thorin had no idea. Looking back at Phoenix who had set the bowl down and grabbed her swords, he sighed to himself.

"Well, let's go then." He told them and together they all ran towards where Bilbo was, and getting there they found him in the hands of one of the trolls, and the three trolls that were there were all talking about how to cook him.

Kili was the first to burst onto the scene, and he readied his sword. "Drop him!" He ordered.

"You what?" One of the trolls asked.

"I said, drop him!" He ordered again, and the trolls suddenly threw Bilbo into him, both of them landing on the floor and the others burst through the trees. As they all attacked the trolls, Phoenix had a better idea and she climbed a tree that overlooked the fire pit the trolls had created. And suddenly all of the dwarves and Aaronhild stopped fighting and she saw why, the trolls had hold of Bilbo!

"Lay down your arms." One ordered. "Or we will rip his off!"

Thorin did not see any other way out of it so he had his company do what the trolls said, yet as their weapons hit the floor, Phoenix suddenly stuck out her hand and the fire came to life, erupting into the air which scared the trolls enough for them to drop Bilbo who scampered back to the dwarves.

"What the bloody 'ell is that?" One of the trolls asked, looking at the fire as it continued to burn furiously and suddenly the flames turned into the body of a Phoenix bird.

At seeing the phoenix bird, Aaronhild looked up into the tree where Phoenix was hiding and he nudged Thorin in that direction. When he saw her, he gave a small smile, and he watched the Phoenix.

"How dare you think you can attack my quarry!" The hoenix squawked.

"You're quarry?" One of the troll's asked. "Who do you think you are?"

"I am the Phoenix, master over these lands!" It squawked.

"I don't think so!" The troll grunted, moving to grab hold of it, but ended up burning his skin and giving a howl in pain.

"Do you think that I would let you touch me?" The Phoenix squawked.

"Wait a minute!" The other troll had been watching Thorin and had seen where he was looking and he soon noticed Phoenix in the tree. "Oi, you!" He suddenly made a grab for Phoenix and ended up grabbing her ankle and he held her upside down for all of the dwarves to see.

"Put me down!" She screamed as she struggled in the Troll's grip.

"Well well, a little maiden." The troll laughed.

"She smells nice, of elf and dwarf." The other troll, who had come across as quite dim told them as he sniffed at Phoenix, before she hit him in the nose with her fist. "Ow, the little maid hit me."

"I said put me down!" Phoenix told them.

"I say we cook her." The final Troll told them.

"Put me down or you will suffer the consequences." She told them.

"Do you take us as fools?" The one holding her asked.

"The dawn will take you all for fools."

Gandalf's voice suddenly came out from the darkness and they all turned to see him standing on a rock, overlooking everything and Phoenix breathed a sigh of relief.

"Who's that?" The one holding her asked.

"Can we eat him to?" Asked the dumber one.

Suddenly Gandalf drove his staff down on the rock that he was stood on and they all watched as the rock broke in half, and Phoenix shielded her eyes as rays of sunlight started raining down on the trolls and they all screamed as they started to turn to stone.

When it was over and the three trolls stood before them as statues, everyone smiled in relief at seeing Gandalf and as they all looked at each other and praised in the fact that they were all alive, they seemed to be forgetting one thing.

"Um, hello, anyone down there want to get me down?"

Everyone looked up to see that Phoenix was still dangling above them, the trolls having still had hold of her when they were turned to stone.

"Phoenix my dear, can't you melt the rock around you?" Gandalf asked.

"Hey Gandalf, can't you make a phoenix appear made of fire and then be too tired to even move right now?" She asked him. "Someone, please get me down, I'm getting a serious headache."

"Alright, hold on." Aaronhild told she and he climbed up the troll that had hold of her with one of the dwarf's hammers and he started to hammer away at the rock that had hold of her. "Someone get ready to catch her." He shouted down and Thorin, Kili, Fili, Dwalin, Ori and Gloin all stood underneath her and when she was free, they all caught her.

"Thank you." She smiled as they set her onto her feet.

"Well, I guess this is where we say our goodbyes?" Aaronhild told them as he too landed on his feet from jumping from the troll.

"It is." Phoenix told him and the two clasped hands, which had Thorin wondering what Phoenix could be feeling, before the two clasped each other in a hug much like two dwarf males would greet each other.

"Don't be a stranger." Aaronhild told her. "Come and visit the rangers once this is over."

"I'll think about it." She told him with a nod and she watched as Aaronhild called his horse and once he had climbed on, he rode away out of sight.

When he was gone, Phoenix turned back to find Gandalf tapping the troll statues with his staff.

"What are you thinking Gandalf?" Phoenix asked as she attached her weapons back to their holsters from where they had fallen out when the trolls grabbed her and she pulled her ranger cloak around herself more to keep out the cold morning air.

"These trolls came from the Ettin Woods." Gandalf told her.

"Since when do mountain trolls travel this far south?" Thorin asked as he joined them.

"Not for an age." Gandalf told him. "Not since a darker power ruled these lands."

Both Thorin and Phoenix exchanged a look between each other, they both knew of the power that Gandalf spoke of and whilst they were not afraid of it, the mention of it made them nervous.

"There must be a cave nearby; to travel here from those mountains would take most if not all of the night." Phoenix told them.

"Then we must find it, who knows what these trolls have hoarded in their years." Thorin told them and he called his company to go and fetch the horses, before they all set off, this time Phoenix walked at the back, moving much slower than the rest. However, she made sure that no one noticed and used the fact that everyone else was riding ponies to get out of showing that the real injury was in her ankle that the troll had held. Only her horse, Carnahan, sensed his rider's discomfort and allowed for her to lean on him as they made their way after the dwarves.


	6. Chapter 6

The Aid of Elves

When Phoenix finally joined them, they were all waiting for her to reach them and they were ready to go into the cave. When she found them, Thorin looked at her with concern, but it was Balin who voiced his thoughts.

"Are you alright Lass?" He asked her.

"I'm fine." Phoenix told him and Thorin and Balin noticed the look of disbelief Gandalf held when he heard her response, but they decided not to question it.

"Ori and Bifur take care of the ponies." Thorin ordered, and once they had gone, Phoenix joined the others as they all went inside the troll cave.

"Ugh, what is that stench?" Dwalin asked his voice layered with disgust.

"It's a troll hole Master Dwarf, what did you expect?" Gandalf asked.

"By my beard, looks at all this gold!" Gloin shouted.

Phoenix watched as some of the dwarves started to gather as much gold as they could, whilst Thorin and Gandalf looked at the weapons that had been left in the cave. As Thorin picked up a sword, Phoenix saw the making from where she stood by the cave entrance, she recognised it as being a sword from her father's kin, a finer sword had never been made and even Gandalf saw this.

"Elvish." Gandalf told him and as he watched Thorin about to put it back, he decided to stop him. "You couldn't ask for a finer blade." He told him.

Thorin seemed to relent and he looked back at his company before he held a fleeting glance with Phoenix as she walked out of the cave and into the much fresher air.

"Come on, this stench is eye watering." Thorin told them as he too ran out of the cave. Gandalf was the last to leave but he came out carrying two swords, one for himself and one short one which he handed to a very unsuspecting Bilbo.

Suddenly there was a sound of something coming towards them and they all huddled together, except for Gandalf and Phoenix, who had decided to sit herself on a fallen tree, and they were given a surprise when a haggard man rode up to them on a wooden sled pulled by rabbits.

Gandalf smiled at seeing the wizard who Phoenix vaguely recognised as Radagast the Brown, and he greeted him like old friends, before an air of seriousness came over them and the two wizards left to talk in private though Phoenix heard every word. As the wizards spoke, Phoenix looked at the swords that she carried, like the one Thorin had found, they were Elvish made, but they were dual swords, crafted to fight as one weapon. She was busy thinking of her swords so she did not hear much of what was around her. Meanwhile, Thorin had been glancing over at her every few minutes as he paced waiting for the wizards to finish their conversation, when Balin joined him.

"Lad, will you stop staring at her." Balin told him.

"I'm not staring." Thorin told him.

"Aye Laddie, you are." Balin told him. "She is a beautiful lass, but you know that nothing could come of it."

"That is where I believe you are wrong Balin." Thorin told him. "But she wouldn't have me; there are plenty of men able to have her." Thorin replied, only now had he come to accept that he loved Phoenix more than he should, but no more than he wanted to. Balin sighed at his king as he watched how he looked towards the female hybrid, and he saw the emotions in his eyes, it was the same way that he had seen Thorin's father look at his mother, the way his own father had looked at his own mother before her death. It was the look of true adoration and love, but he did not comment to Thorin about it. In fact he did not have time to as there was a deep howl drawing closer to them which had everyone freezing in their tracks.

"What was that?" Bilbo asked as he looked up.

"Wargs." Fili told him, putting a hand to one of his swords in readiness.

Suddenly there was a howl, and then they saw Ori and Bifur run over, their faces one of guilt and worry.

"We have no ponies, they've bolted." Ori told them, before he let out a pained yell and they saw a warg grab him in its jaw and shake him around like a child's doll.

"Ori!" Dori shouted, readying his sword to strike the beast down, but Phoenix was quicker and she embedded an arrow between its eyes, making it let go of Ori.

"Phoenix, look out!" Bilbo shouted Phoenix managed to both turn and duck at the same time as another warg flew straight past where her head had been seconds ago.

As she righted herself, she watched as Kili stuck an arrow into the warg, before Dwalin and Thorin finished it off.

When the warg was dead, Phoenix ran to Ori who was withering around on the floor in pain and the other dwarves seemed to be in some sort of trance, frozen to the spot. Phoenix did not pay any attention, before she suddenly used one of her daggers to cut away Ori's clothes that were around the wound and she checked it as Gandalf sat beside her.

"It's beyond my skills." She told him.

"What do you suggest?" Gandalf asked.

"We take him to my father." She told him as she got up and gave a whistle that seemed to awaken Thorin who looked at them.

"No, I refuse to seek help from those woodland sprites." Thorin told them and this made Phoenix too angry for their liking.

"If you do not let me take him, then he will die!" She suddenly shouted at him and this seemed to silence Thorin. Then as Carnahan galloped over, she grabbed the horse's reigns, steadying him. "Help me lift him." Phoenix told everyone, and she watched as Kili, Dwalin and Gandalf lifted Ori up and Phoenix got Carnahan to lie down so that they could sit him in the saddle and she let Carnahan stand up before she looked at Gandalf as she slid her cloak over Ori.

"Do you know where to take them?" She asked.

"Yes." Gandalf told she and he helped her to climb onto her horse's back, behind the saddle and he handed her the reigns.

"Phoenix, you can't ride out on your own." Radagast told her. "They will spot you instantly."

"Do you have a suggestion Radagast, because we really don't have time to debate this?" She told him, keeping an arm tight around Ori to keep him against her.

"I do, let me ride out and draw them off." He told her.

"These are Gundabad Wargs, they will outrun you!" Gandalf told him.

"These as Rhosgobel rabbits," Radagast told him. "I'd like to see them try."

Everyone looked between the two wizards, before the matter seemed settled and they watched as Radagast ran off with the rabbits and they watched him lead the wargs and orc pack away, before Phoenix looked at Gandalf.

"Ride fast and ride hard, no looking back." He told her.

Phoenix nodded before she leant forward towards Carnahan. "Norlim, Nodern."

Suddenly Carnahan was running, going through the cover of the trees and bursting out into the open ground and then he really hit his stride. Phoenix kept hold of the reigns, allowing the horse to take the lead as they made their way across the moors, through long grass, over rocks, the horse showed no signs of stopping. Carnahan moved in ways that would have made everyone around them stare in awe, they managed to get into the trails that led towards the one place that she knew could save the dwarf in her arms.

"Garbo Ori, lastaan nín glim. Baw anno nean ni dúath, dartha din in Ori, nin innas beria tye."

Phoenix pleaded with the young dwarf as Carnahan pushed himself faster at hearing his rider's pleas to the dwarf.

Suddenly there was a sound of snarling, and Carnahan reared up as a Warg ran out from behind a large stone, but instead he brought his hooves down on top of its head, pinning it to the ground.

"Carnahan, go!" Phoenix commanded and Carnahan took off running, the warg, wounded but still giving chase. He forced himself to move, his legs hitting the ground hard as he ran, he only knew that he needed to keep his rider safe, as well as get the dwarf help, and he was too old to be worried about some lost warg. Soon he outran the warg that was chasing them and the warg ran off to join its pack, but still Carnahan did not slow his speed. They reached the gates of the Elvish city in almost no time at all, and they raced past the guards at the gate. She heard the calls of the elves she passed, and when she got to the steps that led up to her home, she found an elf she knew well – Lindir.

"Lindir, nara hÎr Elrond, tÎn iell sit a han men gar naug i ach." She told him as she jumped from her horse as Carnahan stopped to rest and she helped Ori down.

Lindir sent two guards off and they soon came back with Lord Elrond.

"Nín iell!" Lord Elrond's voice rang out as he reached them. "Man carima hen?" He asked as he allowed some healers to take Ori away and he looked at his daughter.

"Wargs." She told him and she watched Carnahan be taken to the stables as she and Elrond made their way up the steps, well she hopped.

"Nalyë harn eithro." Elrond observed.

Phoenix sighed. "I haru anaië alenvinyanta." She told him.

"Innas tye lavdâf an enni an hentaed?" Elrond asked his voice soft and caring towards his daughter.

In the end, Phoenix relented and Elrond brought her to her bedroom that she shared with her sister, Arwen, and Phoenix sat on the edge of her bed as Elrond kneeled before her and he examined Phoenix's ankle which had become swollen and sore with all the movement that she had done.

"You should not be walking on this." He told her.

"You know that I cannot sit still." She told him. "Ada, nothing will make me sit still, not even this."

Elrond sighed as he started to heal her ankle. "That I know very well." When he was finished he stood and helped Phoenix to her feet. "You should change, Arwen will be in shortly from her ride and it would be nice for the pair of you to see each other again." He looked towards the window. "I will deal with this orc pack; they have already crossed our lands."

Phoenix nodded. "I will stay here ada; I have come to miss my younger sister."

Elrond nodded and he left Phoenix to go and get ready before he went to get ready to hunt some orc, and he looked at the window to his daughter's room and saw Phoenix watching him go, she had already dressed in a red dress and her dark hair hung down her back. He was happy to have his daughter back in Rivendell, but right now, he had to hunt some orc, so off he rode with his men.

When he was gone, Phoenix remained by the window, and she didn't notice the door opening and nor did she noticed Arwen walking into the room, only when she heard the door shut did she turn around and she saw the beauty of her own sister stood before her.

"Nín mell neth." Phoenix told her.

"Phoenix...Nalyë sí." Arwen told her and she ran over into her older sister's waiting arms.

"Of course I'm here." She told her. "I came with a wounded dwarf, and ada insisted to check my own wound."

"You were wounded?" Arwen asked as they left the room and walked together.

"I was, but I am fine now." She promised her sister as they sat on a stone bench in a courtyard to wait for Elrond's return. "Now tell me, what have I missed?"

"Not a lot." Arwen confessed. "Our brothers are surveying the elves in Mirkwood, working with Thranduil." She saw the dark look in her sister's eyes. "Forgive me; I know that you dislike him."

"It is a bit beyond dislike." Phoenix smiled. "But do not fret little sister."

Arwen smiled at her and she looked at the flowers that had grown around the bench. "Did you hear about our mother?"

Phoenix nodded. "I heard that she took the boat to Valinor...forgive me if I tell you that I did not grieve for her...And then I contemplated joining her."

Arwen seemed surprised to hear that, but she let it go, after all if it was going to make Phoenix happy, she wasn't about to stop her.

Meanwhile, back in the moors, Thorin and his company were on a never ending run, trying to keep clear of the orcs and wargs that were eagerly hunting them. They had done well so far, but they knew that they could not keep this up much longer. Dwarves were not meant to be long distance runners. At that moment, they were all hiding behind a large rock, and they all tensed at hearing the growls that could only come from a warg, and they heard the scraping of its claws on top of the boulder that they were hiding behind. Thorin glanced at his youngest nephew who had already notched an arrow ready to be fired, and he watched as he moved away from the cover of the boulder. When he was in view, Thorin heard the snarling of the warg, before the whimpers as Kili hit it with the arrow, but not where it would be able to kill the beast. As the warg dropped to the floor dead, the orc riding it suddenly lunged up but was struck back down by Dwalin's axe. Yet its cries were loud enough to alert the rest of the pack that was after the group.

"Run." Gandalf told them as they heard the other orcs closing in.

"Run!" Thorin shouted and they were all running, with Gandalf leading the group; however they did not get far before they were suddenly surrounded by wargs and orcs.

"We're surrounded!" Dori shouted.

"Where's Gandalf?" Bofur shouted up and everyone looked around for the wizard only to find that he had vanished.

"He's abandoned us!" Dwalin shouted and all of the dwarves closed ranks with each other, pulling out their weapons, ready to fight the incoming orcs and wargs.

"This way you fools!"

They all looked over and saw that Gandalf was behind a rock and Thorin soon took charge, cutting down a warg.

"Go!" He shouted as he jumped onto the rock and found a hidden passage behind it. "Quickly!" He ordered and dwarf after dwarf slid down it after Gandalf and Bilbo, looking back he found that Kili was still fighting. "Kili!" He shouted and he watched his nephew turn and run towards them, jumping down the hole and Thorin followed him.

When they reached the bottom, they heard the sound of a horn and Thorin recognised it as an Elvish horn, maybe Phoenix had brought aid, but he did not hear her voice. That was the only thing that worried him, and he feared that she had not made it to the safety of her people.

"There's a trail back here, what do we do?" Dwalin shouted and this brought Thorin back to the present.

"Follow it of course!" Balin shouted and all of the company filed down the narrow passage, coming out into the view of a land that Thorin had preferred that they had avoided.

 **Translations**

Norlim, Nodern : Ride fast, ride hard

Garbo Ori, lastaan nín glim. Baw anno nean ni dúath, dartha din in Ori, nin innas beria tye :

Hold on Ori, listen to my voice. Do not give in to the darkness, stay with me Ori, I will protect you.

Lindir, nara hÎr Elrond, tÎn iell sit a han men gar naug i ach : Lindir, tell Lord Elrond, his daughter is here and that we have a dwarf who is wounded

Nín iell : My daughter!

Man carima hen : What done this?

Nalyë harn eithro : You are wounded also

I haru anaië alenvinyanta : The wound has been well healed

Innas tye lavdâf an enni an hentaed : Will you grant permission for me to examine it

Nín mell neth : My dear sister

Nalyë sí : You're here


	7. Chapter 7

**The songs from this chapter are both from the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings sountracks:**

 ** _Into The West_** **by Annie Lennox**

 ** _Bofur's Song_** **by James Nesbitt**

Talk of the Heart

A group of reluctant dwarves reached the cliff edge that overlooked a beautiful city, by that afternoon. And after being chased down by an orc pack, they were grumpy, but that was nothing when compared to the grumpiness that radiated from them by the time they reached the elvish city. Bilbo was in awe at the sight at the city, its location next to the waterfall made it beautiful and it oozed peace and splendour.

"This is Imladris." Gandalf told them. "But it is known by another name as-"

He was cut off by Bilbo who was still staring at the city when he uttered its common name: Rivendell. Together the group of dwarves grumbled but Thorin was the loudest of all.

"The elves will not help us." Thorin told them. "They will try to stop us."

"That they will," Gandalf agreed and he became exasperated at the look of distrust Thorin still held. "You will find no ill will here Thorin Oakenshield, only that of which your bring yourself." Gandalf told him sternly before he led them down from the ledge that they had found themselves on and they walked towards the entrance of Rivendell where a male elf met them.

"Mithrandir," The elf spoke and Gandalf held a smile as he walked forward towards the man.

"Ah Lindir," Gandalf smiled. "Where is Lord Elrond?"

"Lord Elrond is not here Mithrandir." The elf – Lindir – told him.

This had Thorin worrying slightly, did the elf Lord not know that one of his company had been brought here wounded? Had Phoenix and Ori not escaped the orcs as they had hoped? However his thoughts were suddenly broken as the sound of a horn and all of the dwarves huddled together around Bilbo brandishing their weapons as they were suddenly surrounded by elvish riders and their horses.

"Gandalf." One of the elves called as he got down from his saddle and walked over to the wizard, and the two greeted each other as friends.

When the elf and wizard had finished greetings, the elf looked at the group of dwarves as Thorin walked forward.

"Allow me to introduce Lord Elrond of Rivendell." He gestured to the grand elf that was stood beside him. "My Lord Elrond, this is Thorin Oakenshield." He gestured to Thorin who walked forward and the two leaders bowed their heads in greeting to each other.

"Welcome Thorin, Son of Thrain." Elrond told him. "And welcome to the company of Thorin Oakenshield." He greeted the rest of the company behind him as they stared at something behind him. As he turned he allowed himself to smile as he saw Arwen coming down the steps towards them.

"Allow me to introduce my daughter, Arwen Uldomiel." He gestured to her as she stood beside him. "Arwen, where is your sister?"

Arwen simply smiled as the dwarves kept staring at the top of the stairs and the two elves turned around to look at who they were staring at and they found Phoenix stood on top of the stairs. Thorin thought his heart had frozen as he saw her and he seemed to be in awe, the dress hugged her curves and enhanced her beauty, if that was possible in Thorin's eyes. But he remained speechless.

"Phoenix." Elrond smiled, holding a hand out to his daughter as she walked down the steps to him.

"Ada." Phoenix smiled softly and her smile held love and softness that lit up her face in a beautiful shine and the dwarves watched as Phoenix joined the other elf – Arwen.

"My daughters, why don't you show our dwarvish guests to their rooms," Elrond suggested to Arwen and Phoenix and both of the girls nodded.

"We will Ada." Arwen told him with a smile as she looked at the dwarves. "This way," She told them, and together she and Phoenix led them up into the building behind them and they showed everyone to their rooms. Thorin was given a room on his own, and it was only Phoenix who showed him to it, but before he could talk to her, she was gone, so he decided to wait, biding his time. Looking around his room, he took in the elvish decor, the soft wood furnishings, the soft bedding and the doors that led onto the large balcony that was attached to his room. Looking down from the balcony, he saw Phoenix and Arwen walking over to a rose bush and he watched Phoenix intently. He could not hear the conversation, but that did not matter to him at all.

Arwen watched as Phoenix knelt down to gently touch the petals of a rose that had yet to bloom, it was the only one that hadn't and it stood out in the garden.

"The guards asked if we wanted to get rid of it." Elrond spoke to them as he also appeared.

"Why didn't you?" Phoenix asked.

"Because it reminded me of you," Elrond told her and Phoenix straightened up to look at him.

"Ada, why would a rose remind you of me?"

"Because like you, this small rose has yet to bloom, but when it does, your sister and I believe that it will be the most beautiful rose of all." He told her.

"Ah, the rose comparison," Phoenix commented. "Ada you tried that when I was small."

"And it worked, did it not?" Elrond asked as he walked over. "You are my daughter Phoenix, and I will always believe that you are more than you make yourself out to be." He told her, before he gently brushed his thumb to her cheek and then done the same to Arwen before he left them to sit on a bench in the rose garden.

"The dwarf king looks at you like he is in a dream Rhavaniel." Arwen told her.

"Phoenix." She corrected. "I stopped going by the name Rhavaniel long ago."

This didn't seem to deter Arwen however, and the elf maiden looked at her sister as she sat beside her. "He still looks at you as if he is in a dream." She accused. "How do you feel about him?"

She looked at her. "Arwen, do not start this again." She warned her sister.

"Why not," She asked. "You have a chance at love, why will you not take it?" Arwen asked. "If I was in your position, then I would jump at the chance."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Phoenix asked, getting to her feet as Arwen did.

"I meant no offence." Arwen told her. "But you deserve to have love and if he is in love with you, why would you not?" She asked.

"Because he needs a dwarrowdam who can provide an heir," She told her. "I'm not what he needs."

"That is not true." Arwen told her.

"Arwen, can we leave it?" She asked. "I've accepted the hand that I have been dealt, so let us get over it."

Arwen sighed as she watched her sister walk away and she glanced up and saw Thorin before he quickly retreated away from the edge of the balcony and it made her smile. Maybe there was hope for her sister's love life after all, only time would tell.

Thorin spent that night trying to talk to Phoenix; he wanted to know what she and Arwen had argued about and to see if he could help the situation. But she did not join them for dinner as he had hoped, or as her family had hoped as when Arwen told the Lord Elrond that Phoenix would not be joining them, he seemed disheartened but to have understood an unspoken reason as to why. His company had been to see Ori and how he was doing and the young dwarf was said to be fit enough to travel in a few days, which pleased the others as none of them seemed to want to stay longer than necessary. That night, he walked around the room that he had been given, undressing as he went and he hung his outer jacket, inner jacket, weapons belt, and his fur pelt on a chair, and he was surprised that the chair maintained the weight of his garments, but he walked onto the edge of the balcony where he saw elves going about their lives as night drew in. The cold breeze felt good against him, but he wished for a large roaring fire like he had back home and almost as if on cue, the ground below held a warming fire. Looking again, he saw the head of a small elf maiden as she walked towards the flames and it was only when she put her hands directly into the flames and not seem to feel any pain, did he realise who it was – Phoenix. He smiled to himself as he watched her, she seemed to be calm and at peace, walking around the fire pit. One thing that Thorin noticed was that there was singing going on as the night had drawn in and it had not stopped now, but he then noticed a different song. It was in the common tongue, unlike the Elvish music that he had been hearing, and he looked down at realising that it was Phoenix who was singing.

 _What can you see on the horizon?_

 _Why do the white gulls call?_

 _Across the sea a pale moon rises_

 _The ships have come to carry you home._

 _And all will turn to silver glass._

 _A light on the water, all souls pass._

 _Hope fades into the world of night._

 _Through shadows falling out of memory and time,_

 _Don't say we have come now to the end._

 _White shores are calling_

 _You and I will meet again_

 _And you'll be here in my arms, just sleeping._

Her voice was melodic and just as angelic as it was when she spoke; he wondered what had brought on a song of such sadness, and he noticed that on the other balconies, his company had joined in to listen to the song. He saw his nephews stood side by side in silence, listening, the Hobbit and Gandalf sharing a room and stood there in silent appreciation of the song and no doubt the wizard was explaining the meaning of the song to the Hobbit. Even Dwalin was listening and he seemed to have some tears in his eyes at the mere beauty of the song.

He was so entranced with what was around him that he did not notice that someone had joined him until Lord Elrond spoke from his place at his side.

"She sings of Valinor." He told the dwarf king.

"What is Valinor?" He asked.

"The undying lands of my people, where elves go when they leave Middle Earth," Elrond told him. "It is where everything here will be nothing but a memory, that is, if she chooses to remember anything from this world."

"Is she leaving?" Thorin asked, he could not hide the worry in his voice quick enough, he knew the elf lord had acknowledged it.

"She had spoken of it, but I do not think she will go soon." He told him.

"How do you know that?" Thorin asked, needing some reassurance that Phoenix was not going to leave him any time soon.

"Because you have yet to declare your love for her," Elrond told him. "And when you do, I believe that she will stay here in Middle Earth with you."

Thorin looked at him, he obviously was not the first person to accuse him of being in love with Phoenix, but he wondered how he could have known.

Lord Elrond held a small smile as he watched the dwarf. "It was obvious when she came down to meet you all at the gate with her sister; your eyes never left her."

Thorin gained a very uncharacteristic blush to his face, he had not realised that anyone had noticed how he had been looking at her, and he vaguely wondered if Phoenix herself had noticed.

"You should talk to her." Elrond told him. "Tell her how you feel."

"I mean no offence Lord Elrond, but how am I supposed to take advice over confessing my love for Phoenix off of you, when you are her father?" He asked.

"Because I want her to be happy, she deserves it after over two thousand years and I know that you can make her happy." Elrond told him. "You will have my blessing to court her if it is both of your wishes."

Thorin was taken aback as he watched the elf leave and he himself walked back into his room. He did not know this elf, and this elf certainly did not know him, and yet he already trusted him with his daughter's life, if Phoenix would have him. That was what bothered him most more than anything, he was worried about Phoenix rejecting him, not only was this because he loved her, it was because if a dwarf was rejected by the one that they loved, then he would never love another. That night Thorin went to sleep thinking of the dark haired half elf maiden that he was certain, had now fully bewitched him into loving her. And if he was bewitched, then he would be a happy dwarf for the rest of his days knowing that someone like Phoenix had that power over him.

The next morning, Phoenix was up early and she was sat at the table with her father and sister as breakfast was served, and she was wearing a light blue dress and her almost black hair hung in curls down her back and she wore a silver tiara on her head.

"Man caro ech ui pano caro sír?" Elrond asked them.

"Inyë innas no north ed hir asëa an i hadhod han Rhavaniel tol di." Arwen told him as she sipped from her cup.

"Nor di grith neth." Phoenix told her. "Glamhoth gar echad pad hol na." Phoenix continued and Arwen nodded before they all looked up as they heard shuffling and found Bilbo, Kili and Fili in the doorway watching them.

"May we join you?" Bilbo asked.

"You may, but you must forgive us, we have no meat for you all to eat." Elrond told them and he watched as the two dwarves scampered onto chairs on either side of Phoenix whilst the small hobbit climbed into a chair beside Arwen.

They then lapsed into silence as their new guests ate their breakfasts that the servers handed to them and some elves in the corner played soft music.

"Can I ask a question?" Kili asked his mouth full of food.

"What do you wish to ask?" Elrond asked.

"Are you three royalties?" He asked, looking to the headpieces that he could only describe as being the Elvish version to tiaras in the dwarven world, which both Phoenix and Arwen wore.

"Each of my daughters has the title of Lady of Rivendell." Elrond told him. "In a way we are royalty, but we do not wear our headpieces often, today is an exception."

"What is the exception?" Kili asked.

"Today we have the return of my sons and the Lady Galadriel and the Wizard Saruman are visiting Rivendell." Elrond told them.

"I'm sorry, but who are they?" Bilbo whispered to Arwen.

"The Lady Galadriel is a high elf of Lothlorien, also my grandmother, and the Lord Saruman is the most powerful wizard in Middle Earth." Arwen explained.

Everyone nodded and Elrond observed that Kili and Fili seemed to be as enamoured with Phoenix as their Uncle was, but there was more of a friendly basis and not the lovers' level that Thorin wanted.

When they had finished with their breakfast, Phoenix picked up her swords from where they were resting on the back of her chair and she looked at the dwarves and Hobbit next to her.

"Come on, let us all go and practice." She told them.

"P-Practice?" Bilbo stuttered.

"Mister Baggins if you are going to survive this company, you need to know how to use your weapon." Phoenix told him as Fili and Kili dragged him away to get his sword.

When they were gone, Elrond caught Phoenix's hand. "Take care with them; I worry about what will happen to you once you leave the safety of Rivendell."

"I am not leaving yet Ada, but when I do, I will be fine." She promised him, pressing her forehead to his before she went off to find the dwarf princes and the Hobbit.

She soon found them dragging Bilbo from his room, and the poor Hobbit looked scared at the fought of going to train with the two princes and Phoenix.

"Come on Bilbo, you'll be fine." Phoenix promised him and she led them all to the training arena which seemed well hidden in the depths of trees and bushes.

"Wow, this is quite bare." Kili commented, there were only a few targets for shooting practice and a small ring to practice sword-play in.

"It is, but it served me well as a child." She told them. "Now let us see if it can serve me well as a woman." She told them, tying her weapons belt to her waist as she looked at Bilbo. "Come master Hobbit, I will teach you the basics."

Kili and Fili watched as Phoenix led Bilbo to the training ring, and she showed him the proper stance for sword fighting and how he was supposed to move his feet in time with his sword action and then they started some light sparing. Phoenix going slow so that the Hobbit could make sure he was doing it right and effectively. After a few minutes, the brothers started a sparring match of their own, before they decided to take a break from sparring and sit in the sun and soon Phoenix and Bilbo came to join them.

As they lounged on the ground, everyone got to know a bit more about each other. It was found out that Fili and Kili had never been courted by anyone ever. Kili wasn't as desirable as his brother because he was tall for a dwarf and beardless. Fili was more suited to the sword whilst Kili was the best archer in the Blue Mountains. Bilbo had wanted to go on adventures when he was younger but had become a 'house hobbit' as Kili called it after his father passed. Phoenix's real name was Rhavaniel Eccaia; however she swore the three to secrecy. Phoenix only changed her name when she joined the Dunedin rangers of the north. Phoenix was also the oldest out of Elrond's children. When they were well rested and ready to start training again, that was how they were found hours later by Thorin, Balin and Dwalin. Kili was sparring with Bilbo who was just about gaining the hang of his footing, but not his arm work, yet Kili made sure not to hurt him and to take it easy on him. But Fili and Phoenix were the sparring partners who took everyone's eyes; they seemed to be in an all around battle with each other, Phoenix using two swords and Fili using one, and each of them trying to best the other. The three older dwarves seemed surprised that Phoenix could fight as well as normal when she was wearing the long flowing dress that seemed to be Elvish fashion and still keep her tiara on her head. Eventually they reached a stalemate and had to give up, but they both ended up laughing with each other and they shook hands before they put their swords away and they stopped at seeing Thorin, Balin and Dwalin.

"When did you three get here?" Fili asked.

"Not long ago Lad." Balin told him. "We were coming to get you all for dinner."

"Ah great, I'm starving!" Kili shouted over as he and Bilbo joined the group.

"Let's go then." Dwalin told them and he walked with them up to where they would be eating.

When they got there, Lord Elrond got to his feet and pulled a chair out for his daughter as Thorin sat opposite her. They noticed that there were two male dwarves sitting at the table. One looked a lot like Elrond, with the same dark hair braided just above his ears, and the other had more of a feminine face, with blonde hair that was not braided at all. They were seen identified as being Elrohir and Elladan, Elrond's sons. As the dwarves talked amongst themselves, Phoenix talked with her brothers about their recent travels and it seemed to hold some power of interest over her and she listened intently. But after a few minutes, they excused themselves each to go and see their 'serons' and Thorin made a note to ask Phoenix what that word meant. When her brothers had left, Phoenix listened to the conversation that was going on between Thorin, Elrond and Gandalf about the swords that they found.

"This is Orcrist." Elrond told the Dwarf King. "The Goblin Cleaver, forged by the elves of the West, my kin." He told him as he admired the blade, before he gave it back to him in its holster and Phoenix saw Bilbo look towards his own blade.

"I wouldn't be so sure laddie." Balin told him. "Swords are given names for the great deeds that they do in battle."

"Are you saying my sword hasn't seen battle?" Bilbo asked.

"I'm not sure that it is a sword, more like a fancy letter opener really." Balin told him.

"There is a way to find out." Phoenix told him.

"How?" Bilbo asked looking at him.

"A pure elf can hold the blade and see if anything is noticed through the story the blade tells." Phoenix told him and she looked at Arwen. "Sister..."

Arwen looked at them and she held her hand out for Bilbo's blade and as the sword was put into her hand, but nothing seemed to happen.

"It looks like there is nothing to its story." Arwen told him.

"That's great." Phoenix told them.

"Lady Phoenix, I do not see how this is a good thing." Balin told her.

"Because it means that Bilbo will now be able to forge his own story with his own sword," She told him. "It's a high honour in the elves."

"Then I too will take it as an honour." Bilbo told her with a smile and Phoenix smiled back.

They them went back to eating, glancing towards the dwarves as they heard their conversation.

"Change the tune why don't you." Nori complained to the elf maid who was strumming a harp. "I feel like I'm at a funeral."

"Did someone die?" Oin asked.

"Alright lads, there's only one thing for it." Bofur told they and he was suddenly stood on the table and he started to sing.

 _There's an inn, there's an inn_

 _There's a merry old inn_

 _Beneath an old grey hill_

 _And there they brew a beer so brown_

 _The man in the moon himself came down_

 _One night to drink his fill_

 _The ostler has a tipsy cat_

 _That plays a five-stringed fiddle_

 _And up and down he saws his bow_

 _Now squeaking high, now purring low_

 _Now sawing in the middle_

By the second verse every one of the dwarves had joined in, except for Thorin, and Arwen was laughing and clapping her hands along to the tune. However, Phoenix had left the table and only Thorin seemed to have noticed as he followed her silently. However, unbeknownst to himself, Elrond and Gandalf gave themselves knowing looks and Fili and Kili nudged each other.

Phoenix walked through the grounds of Rivendell until she got to a soft pool of water, the waterfall above it not even creating a splash as it fell into the pool.

"Why do you follow?" She asked as she sat on the edge of the pool.

"I haven't got a reason." He told her as he stood behind her.

"You should be with your kin." She told him as she looked back at him, her fingers resting in the water.

"I would rather spend some time with you; I think we owe each other that." Thorin told her.

"Do we?" She asked. "If you wish to know more about your father, I will tell you what you want, it does not have to be in private."

"That wasn't the topic that I intended on." Thorin told her, moving to sit beside her.

"Then what would you like us to talk about?" She asked.

"Us." He told her.

His answer caught Phoenix by surprise and she looked at him, her eyes wide as she searched for what he could possibly want to talk about regarding them.

"Phoenix, there is something that I need to tell you." Thorin told her.

"What is it?" She asked, her voice a whisper of fear.

Thorin looked at her, she did not look as scared as her voice suggested, in fact she looked curious, like a child that had seen something from a distance and wanted to get a closer look but their parents said no. He let his eyes drink her all in, from her dark waves of hair, her ice blue eyes alight with curiosity, her almost snow white skin, her supple breasts that were enhanced by the neckline of the dress. And that was when he truly fell in love with her, the innocence on her face as she waited for him to tell her was shining beauty.

"Phoenix...I'm in love with you." Thorin told her.

She looked at him and she seemed to be stunned into silence. "Thorin..."

"If you do not love me, then you can tell me." He told her.

"I am in love with you." She told him quickly. "I'm sorry, it's just...I've waited a long time to hear someone tell me that."

Thorin smiled and he gently slid his fingers into hers and he jolted slightly just as she did, feeling a flutter in their touch and he smiled to himself – his father was right. Phoenix seemed to feel it as well because she gently tightened his fingers in hers and when Thorin looked back at her, she seemed to be in a trance.

 _It was warm in the Valley of Rivendell, and Phoenix was running around with a younger version of Elladan and Elrohir and they were play fighting with wooden swords as they ran._

 _"_ _Elladan, Elrohir, it is time for supper."_

 _The three of them stopped and looked towards a woman with hair as dark as a raven's wing, she shone with a beauty that Phoenix thought it to be unmatched by anybody in the whole of Rivendell._

 _"_ _Yes mother." Elladan told her and he and Elrohir threw down their swords and ran up the steps to the pavilion where their mother had set out supper for the pair of them. Whilst her brother's ate, Phoenix bowed her head to the dark and evil eyes of the high Lady of Rivendell who was staring at her with such loathing, that Phoenix felt no choice but to keep her head bowed to her. When she walked away, Phoenix walked up to the main house where she found Lord Elrond sitting at his study desk, candles all around him and one in front of him as he read some parchment. At her entrance, the candle begun to flicker and he glanced up at it, before he held a smile as he looked to the door and found Phoenix stood there._

 _"_ _Iell, nín," Elrond smiled, before he saw the lack of happiness in the young girl's face. "Ië ennas ma raeg?"_

 _"_ _Al ada." Phoenix told him with a shake of her head._

 _"_ _Well then, how about we come for a walk and you can show me your fire skills." Elrond suggested as he stood up and he walked over to her. When he was in front of her, Phoenix tilted her head back to look at him and she nodded._

 _"_ _Okay." She whispered, and together, the pair walked through the halls of Rivendell, Phoenix holding on to the hand of the older elf. They walked into a courtyard that held a fire pit in the middle, the same one that was surrounded by balconies where Thorin had heard Phoenix singing. Phoenix looked at the roses and she found one that had not bloomed yet._

 _"_ _Ada, this one still hasn't bloomed." Phoenix told him._

 _"_ _I believe that it will, in time." He told her. "This rose will become the most beautiful of them all when the time comes." Phoenix looked at him as he kissed the top of her head. "Just like you."_

 _"_ _Ada..." She laughed, playfully pushing the older elf away causing a chuckle to rise from Lord Elrond and Phoenix walked over to the fire pit as Elrond sat on one of the benches._

 _When Elrond was fully sat and comfortable, Phoenix held her hands over the fire pit and as she moved them so that her palms were facing up, the fire pit suddenly erupted with flames. As the flames rose, Phoenix moved her hands and it started to form things, until eventually it exploded and formed a Phoenix that rose away from the flames with a screech and flew around them._

 _"_ _What are you doing?"_

 _The voice came from Elrond's wife who had appeared and heard the explosion, but her interruption had caused Phoenix to lose control and the Phoenix flew right at her, and they both watched as Elrond's wife jumped behind a pillar and the fire hit the pillar, fizzling out._

 _"_ _That is it!" She suddenly screeched and Phoenix became aware of the others elves who had stopped to watch the scene, and they all looked at her in a judging way and Phoenix knew what it meant. She did not belong there._

 _"_ _My love..." Elrond tried to diffuse the situation. "She didn't mean it, you simply startled her."_

 _"_ _No Elrond, that is it, she can't stay here." She told him. "She could harm our sons, or the baby."_

 _"_ _Rhavaniel wouldn't do that." Elrond told her._

 _"_ _She isn't even our child! She is a freak!"_

 _"_ _We are all she has." Elrond spoke, his voice calm._

 _"_ _No, you are all she has, the children and I want nothing more to do with her, and she is too dangerous."_

 _"_ _She isn't dangerous; she is learning to control it." He told her and he looked back at Phoenix just in time to see her running away._

 _Later that night, Elrond found Phoenix in her room and he gently knocked on the door, letting himself in a few minutes later._

 _"_ _Rhavaniel, what are you doing?" He asked as he watched the young child walk about her room, throwing some things into a bag._

 _"_ _I'm leaving ada." She told him simply. "She's right, I can't stay here."_

 _"_ _Of course you can." Elrond told her. "Rhavaniel, you have nowhere else to go."_

 _"_ _I'll find somewhere; I just need to get away before I hurt somebody." Phoenix told him. "I need to find someone who loves me and who I can't hurt."_

 _"_ _You will if you stay here." Elrond suggested._

 _"_ _I can't stay." She told him, and she looked up at him and Elrond saw the look of resolve in the child's eyes, oh how she was so like her mother in that respect._

 _"_ _Alright, but first can I tell you something that will help you find the one you seek?" Elrond asked and Phoenix nodded, sitting on the bed next to him._

 _"_ _What is it?" She asked._

 _"_ _When you find that someone, that person who you are meant for, you will know through a secret way." Elrond told her. "It's called a 'heart's flutter'."_

 _"_ _How do I know that?" She asked._

 _"_ _It happens when you touch one another, you feel a tingling in the place that you've touched, and your heart flutters." Elrond told her._

 _Phoenix thought about this for a moment, before she nodded. "A 'heart's flutter'." She repeated to herself before she looked up at him. "I have to go ada."_

 _"_ _I know." Elrond told her. "Just don't forget about us here, and make sure you tell me what you're doing out there."_

 _"_ _I will ada." She promised and Elrond pulled her into a hug._

 _"_ _Tye innas ui no a Elrondiel." Elrond whispered to her and she nodded, holding back tears._

 _"_ _Inyë mÎl tye, ada." Phoenix whispered to him._

 _"_ _Inyë mÎl tye acca, nín iell." He told her, and he left her to finish getting herself ready, the next morning, the maids found Phoenix's room empty, her bed made and her elf tiara on her pillow and that was the day that Elrond refused to show his happiness for a long time._

The two stared at each other for a few minutes, the darkest of eyes staring into the lightest colour of blue that was known.

"Thorin, you know that this cannot go as far as you want." Phoenix told him.

"What says that it can't?" He asked her, gently brushing some hair from her face and finding an elf shaped ear underneath.

"Everybody," She told him. "You need an heir once you have taken back your kingdom and there is no guarantee that I can provide you with one."

"I will still have Fili." Thorin told her. "An heir isn't important to me, enjoying my life with someone I love is." He told her.

Phoenix looked up at him. "I do not think your comrades would feel the same way."

"I don't care about what they think, or what anyone else thinks, I love you Phoenix, all that matters is what you think and that you love me." He told her, resting a hand on one of her cheeks.

Phoenix looked at him. "Inyë mÎl tye eithro, Thorin Oakenshield."

Thorin looked at her. "What does that mean?" He asked her, his voice soft at the beauty of her voice as she spoke her mother tongue.

"It means: 'I love you too, Thorin Oakenshield'." She smiled at him and he pulled her closer, hugging her to him gently.

Phoenix happily slid her arms around him. "When this is over, I will teach you proper Elvish." She told him.

"And I will happily learn especially if I have a beautiful teacher such as you." He told her.

She smiled softly at his compliment. "Thorin, you do know that it is not official until you have asked my father, right?"

Thorin smiled. "I already asked him." He told her and Phoenix listened as he told her about the talk he and Elrond had had that night on the balcony after they had heard her sing. However, he did not expect the laughter that came from Phoenix as she listened to the story.

When everything had quietened down, Phoenix looked at him as they pulled away from the hug.

"We should return to the group." She told him. "My father will be wondering where we are, as will the company."

"They know that we wouldn't have gotten far." He reassured her. "In fact I am enjoying the peace of not having my two nephews coming to me because they've caused trouble for the poor elves here." He chuckled.

Phoenix gave him a smile. "Yes, I had heard about the others bathing in the sacred waters."

Thorin looked at her and he obviously did not know about that, and now he had he looked embarrassed on behalf of his company.

"Oh Mahal, what have they gotten themselves into?" He muttered.

"Its fine, my father took it in his stride." Phoenix told him.

Thorin looked at her and he saw the amusement written on her face and he could not help but also find it amusing as he gave a chuckle, before he looked at the tiara on her head. "You look beautiful, why do you insist on hiding it behind your cloak?" He asked her, gently touching the tiara.

"Most people do not take kindly to me being who I am." She reminded him. "And I am still a maiden, many men would take advantage." She told him and she watched him tense and get to his feet and she feared that he was still angry from Aaronhild's comment about his company taking her virtue.

"No one will touch you without your say so, not whilst I am still alive and fighting." He promised her fiercely.

Phoenix looked at him and she too stood, walking over to him and she rested her hands on his shoulder since he had yet to turn to face her. "I trust you and your ability to protect me." She told him. "But I'm over two thousand years old; do you not think that I have the ability to protect myself in your absence?"

"Of course," He told her, turning around to face her. "But we are courting now, so protecting you is my job. And you'll certainly find that when someone harms a dwarf's love, they certainly don't get away unscathed." He told her.

Phoenix could not help but smile and she looked at him. "If we are courting, then surely we should seal it with something?" She told him.

"Like what?" He asked.

"A kiss," She questioned and he felt his heart leap, as he looked at him and noticed that somehow, she was now shorter than him and his hand gently grasped her waist, pulling her into him as his lips sought hers and they were both suddenly lost in a kiss. As their kiss went on, Thorin wound his hand into her hair, his eyes closed as he concentrated only on feeling her against his lips and Phoenix done the same, moving a hand into his hair as she closed her eyes to feel only the touch and taste of his lips and the coarseness of his beard against her skin.

They were lost to the world in their kiss and they failed to realise that their company were crowded around a doorway watching them in awe. They stayed there for a few minutes, before Dwalin and Balin shooed them all away to their beds and Kili and Fili could be heard loudly as they walked to their room.

"Who knew our Uncle had that passion in him!" Kili crowed.

"That old coot, good on him!" Fili joined in.

"Shut up and go to bed!" Dwalin shouted back from the other end of the hall.

"Do you think she will join him in his chambers tonight, or he into hers?" Kili asked.

"My sister does not frolic away her virtue so easily, master dwarf."

Everyone turned to see Elrohir stood behind them and the two dwarf princes stopped and froze almost into statues.

"I would like it if you shut your mouths on the subject of my sister's virtue." Elrohir continued.

"Now Laddie, the boys meant no offence." Balin tried to reason with the elf man, but he seemed to be having none of it.

"What he said was highly offensive!" Elrohir objected.

"What is going on here?"

This time the voice came from Phoenix and Thorin who had heard the commotion and come to see the cause and they were both looking between the small group of dwarves which now consisted of Balin, Fili and Kili, and the elf Elrohir.

"Hanar, man gar tye equë han anaië maer an dÎn i hadhid caun?" Phoenix asked, and whatever she asked seemed to stoke the flame of anger in Elrohir.

"Esto nér quetië lhaew o tye, nín neth." Elrohir told her and in the Elvish tongue he sounded even more furious at what the two dwarven princes had done.

"Inyë baw savin esto panin, ma na ed." Phoenix told him and the dwarves around them admired how calm she sounded as she spoke with her furious brother, before she looked at Fili and Kili.

"You two go off to bed, you too Balin and you Thorin." She told them with a smile of reassurance. "Nothing more will be done tonight and by the morning, we will have this settled."

The dwarves nodded and after a fleeting kiss on her hand, Thorin left her with her brother, closing the door to his room.

When the dwarves were in their rooms, Elrohir and Phoenix walked away together to a small pavilion which only held a stone table and a chaise lounge, which Phoenix happily sat on and pulled her legs up to stretch them out beside her as Elrohir paced in front of her.

"Speak your mind." Phoenix told him as she watched him.

"That would be unwise." Elrohir told her.

"When has anything either of us done, wise?" She asked as she looked at him. "You want to tell me something Elrohir, I know you do."

Phoenix looked at her brother and she did not expect what he had to say to her, and when he had said it, she regretted asking.

"You cannot be with him."

The words cut Phoenix like a knife, she and Elrohir had always been close, and he knew the struggles that she faced, besides Arwen he was the one who she thought that she would have no trouble getting past when she eventually told people of her and Thorin.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"I forbid you to be with him." Elrohir told her, taking a stance that showed Phoenix he was in charge, but she went straight through it.

"You do not get to forbid me from seeing anyone." She told him. "You are not our father, and you are not older than me." She told him.

"No, but I am the second oldest male in the family." He told her.

"That has nothing to do with it." She told him. "Elrohir, you are my brother and I love you, but you cannot stop Thorin and me from being together." She informed him. "What if this is my only and last chance of love?" She asked.

"It won't be." He told her, turning away to look out at Rivendell. "You will live for thousands more years, there will be many more, decent people."

"But what if it is?" She asked. "Wouldn't you want me to take this chance?" She asked. "Because ada does and so does Arwen and so do I and anyway, Thorin is a decent person. He fights with honour, loyalty, a winning heart and above all, he loves me."

"But he is mortal!" Elrohir told her. "He will die eventually."

"Then when he dies, I will deal with it." She told him. "Elrohir, I promise you that I am prepared for this, I will be able to live with the fact that he will die." She promised. "And when he does, I will build myself a ship and sail it to the Undying Lands with the rest of our Kin." She told him.

"You will not be happy there, your kind do not belong in the land of memories, of undying elves." He told her.

"As long as I have my family, I will not mind." She told him as she got to her feet and walked to him, resting a hand on his shoulder. "Brother, I love you, but now it is time to for me to make my own way, just like you and Elladan." She told him.

"I still do not like it." He told her, looking at her.

"And you never will, but that is how things must be." She told him, gently patting his shoulder before she took her leave, and she walked back towards her room, and she felt Elrohir watching her as she left but she kept walking.

The next morning, every one of the dwarves was up early, getting some breakfast, and making a mess as they went, throwing the food around at each other and the furniture. It did not take long before the serving elves fled from the room as the noise that the dwarves made became too rambunctious for them. Eventually there was a loud whistle and all of the dwarves looked at the door and found Phoenix stood there.

"Will you all shut up!" She shouted to them. "I could hear you from my own room, halfway across the building."

"Ah Phoenix, join us!" Kili shouted.

"Kili you shout one more time and I will cut out your tongue." She warned him as she took a seat.

"What's the matter?" Ori asked, after being given the all clear to join the dwarves for breakfast and also to travel with them again.

"Nothing." She sighed, getting a cup of Elvish tea.

"Are you sure lass, you really don't seem yourself." Balin told her.

"It is nothing that you need to worry about Balin." She assured the older dwarf.

"I'm guessing that you didn't get much action from our uncle last night then." Kili told her and he had to duck before something was thrown at his head, and it turned out to be the cup that she had been holding.

"No Kili that is not the reason." She told him. "But if you had kept your mouth shut, my brother wouldn't have felt like he had to provide me with a lecture on my love life in the middle of the night."

Everyone looked at her and both Kili and Fili looked ashamed, they had not meant for Phoenix to get into trouble with her brother.

"Phoenix, we are really sorry, we didn't intend for you to be in trouble." Fili told her and he sounded to be quite sincere.

"I will think about your apology." She told him, before she got to her feet and left the room just as Thorin walked in.

"What did you all do?" He asked after witnessing that Phoenix was still upset about something.

Balin told him what had happened, or at least what Phoenix had told him and he sighed, before he sat to have some breakfast, letting Phoenix cool down first, before he had another question.

"Now what is this I hear about you defiling a sacred fountain?" Thorin asked and the immediate looks of guilt from his people made him brace himself for a strange story in deed.

However, by that afternoon, no one had seen or heard Phoenix around most of Rivendell, and neither had Lord Elrond when Thorin had asked him. Thorin was just about to give up and think that she had left, when the sound of music caught him, Balin and his nephews off guard. They followed the sound until they came to a pavilion and in the pavilion; they saw Arwen, Phoenix and her brothers and they appeared to be dancing together to the music a group of elves with some soft stringed instruments played. They approached as quietly as possible, hiding behind the stone steps and fence that went around the pavilion, listening and watching. They watched how Phoenix danced with her brothers and Arwen, after all, none of them had seen an Elvish dance for a long time. When it was over, the group was laughing and smiling as they stopped their dances and the two female elves sat on the chaise lounge as Elladan picked up what looked like a fiddle.

"Sweet sister, play something for us." Elrohir told her.

"Like what?" Phoenix laughed, taking the fiddle and violin.

"Indor i duinen." Arwen told her, suddenly alight with excitement.

Phoenix looked at them and she got to her feet and as she walked a bit away from them, she put the fiddle in its place and she started to play. The dwarves all watched as the elves started to dance around them, and Phoenix walked around them, playing the song. As Phoenix played, Arwen walked down the steps and she suddenly grabbed Kili and Fili's hands and dragged them up with her and the strength of the elf maiden taking both princes by surprise. Thorin and Balin stood on the steps, watching as the two dwarf princes were forced to join the she-elf in a dance around her sister.

Thorin and Balin laughed at the princes, Kili and Fili were laughing as they took turns in leading Arwen in a dance, whilst Elrohir looked appalled and Elladan was holding a look of amusement. Phoenix meanwhile, was playing the fiddle happily, her eyes closed as she merely listened to the tune. Suddenly she stopped and everyone saw why, she was staring in Thorin and Balin's direction, before they all turned to see a man with white hair and a white beard, dressed in white cloaks, stood at the steps.

"Lord Saurman." Elrohir spoke. "Forgive me my lord, we did not see you."

"It is alright Elf Lord." He told them, his voice showing his high power, whilst he greeted Elladan and Arwen, before he moved on and Arwen looked at Phoenix who was in perfect view of everything.

"Oh Phoenix, maybe he did not see you." Arwen told her.

"Do not make excuses for him." Phoenix advised, before she put the bow and fiddle down and she left the pavilion, only to have Thorin catch her before she got to the main building.

Thorin caught her hand as they got to the main steps, and Phoenix turned to look at him.

"What's the matter?" He asked her.

"Nothing, I'm used to it." She told him.

"Phoenix, you shouldn't have to be used to it." He told her.

"Thorin, really, it does not bother me." She told him. "It has been this way for as long as I could remember." She gave him a soft smile of reassurance.

Thorin sighed. "Will you accompany me to speak to your father?" He asked her in order to change the subject.

"I will." She nodded. "But first, let us joins my father and the company for dinner."

Thorin nodded and he took her hand, leading her to up to where the company, Gandalf and Lord Elrond were eating dinner and they found that Phoenix's siblings had already sat together at a table together.

When they entered, the rest of the company all stared, open mouthed as Thorin held her chair out for her and pushed her chair back in once she was sitting down and he kissed her hand, before taking his own seat next to her. The pair of them ate together as they heard Gandalf talk about the dwarves, occasionally stealing glances at each other. Eventually everyone had eaten their fill and Bilbo, Phoenix, Thorin and Balin all followed Gandalf and Lord Elrond out onto a rock ledge where a single crystal table stood behind the falls and Phoenix moved to lean on a rock as Thorin, Gandalf and Elrond spoke.

"Thorin, you need to allow for Lord Elrond to read the map." Gandalf told him.

"I do not see what the secrets of my people have to do with the Elves." Thorin told him and his reply earned him an eye roll from Phoenix and an exasperated sigh from Gandalf.

"Your stubbornness will be your downfall." Gandalf warned. "Lord Elrond is the only one for miles who can read this map. So show it to Lord Elrond."

Phoenix looked over at her father who looked between her and Thorin, and she got off of the rock and walked to Thorin.

"Thorin, Gandalf is right, no one else can read the information this map holds, would you not want to know its secrets to know that you have every detail for this journey?" She asked him. "To ensure that there was nothing missed?"

Thorin looked up at her as she stood facing him and he knew that she was right, but he still held some hatred over elves, but he trusted Phoenix and Gandalf's judgement. So he pulled the map from his coat pocket and he walked towards Lord Elrond.

"Thorin, no." Balin tried to persuade his king, but to no avail and Thorin handed the map to the Elf Lord who took it over to the crystal table with Phoenix following.

"Erebor?" Lord Elrond asked and Phoenix seemed to tense as she recognised the unhappy tone of voice that Lord Elrond used. "What is your interest in the mountain?" He asked and he looked to Phoenix as he spoke. "Iell?"

At his question, everyone looked at Phoenix who remained emotionless as she looked back at her father.

"Ada, lá et-henta i nampë." Phoenix told him and Lord Elrond nodded, choosing to decipher the map instead of asking anything else.

Everyone gathered around them, and Thorin slid his fingers between Phoenix's and he stayed by her side, his eyes on the map.

"You still read ancient dwarvish do you not?" Gandalf asked.

"Ithil certh." Lord Elrond marvelled as he looked over the map.

"They are moon ruins." Phoenix translated to Thorin and Balin.

"Of course." Gandalf whispered.

"Moon Runes can only be read by the same moon of the same shape and season that occurred on the day that they were made." Lord Elrond told him.

"But is tonight that moon?"Balin asked him.

"These runes were written on a midsummer eve by the light of a crescent moon nearly two hundred years ago." Lord Elrond told them.

"That is the same moon that we have tonight." Phoenix told them and as if her words opened a spell, the moonlight shone onto the crystal table and suddenly silver runes were showing up on the map that Elrond still held.

"It seems that you were meant to come to Rivendell." Lord Elrond told the group, he eyes on Thorin. "Fate is with you Thorin Oakenshield."

Thorin looked up at him before his eyes moved to the table as he felt a small smile appear on his face and he felt the soft grip of Phoenix's hand in his give his a gentle squeeze. Maybe fate was with him this time, and maybe he would return to claim his home, only time would tell for the dwarf king.

 **Translations**

Man caro ech ui pano caro sír : What do you both plan to do today?

Inyë innas no north ed hir asëa an i hadhod han Rhavaniel tol di : I will be riding out to find healing herbs for the dwarf that Rhavaniel came with

Nor di grith neth : Ride with care sister

Glamhoth gar echad pad hol na : Ork-Kind have made tracks close by

Serons : lovers

Hanar, man gar tye equë han anaië maer an dÎn i hadhod caun : Brother, what have you said that has been good to silence the dwarf princes?

Esto nér quetië lhaew o tye, nín neth : They were speaking ill of you, my sister

Inyë baw savin esto panin ma na ed : I do not believe that they meant anything by it

Indor i duinen : Master of the tide

Iell? : Daughter?

Ada lá et-henta i nampë : Father, please read aloud the map

Iell nín : My daughter

Ië ennas ma raeg : Is there something wrong?

Al ada : No daddy

Tye innas ui no a Elrondiel : You will always be a daughter of Elrond

Inyë míl tye, ada : I love you, daddy

Inyë míl tye acca, nín iell : I love you too, my daughter


	8. Chapter 8

A Father's Worry

It took a few minutes longer and the map had finally been fully translated by Lord Elrond and Thorin had left Phoenix to go and change out of her dress, for they were due to leave in the early hours and that was where her father had found her. Elrond knocked softly on the door and at hearing Phoenix's voice granting him entrance, he walked inside and he found his daughter fastening her waistcoat to her body.

"Iell, ecë nin carfa an tye?" He asked her.

Phoenix looked up at him and she saw a look that she hated to see on these emotions on her father – upset and anger. "Sui tye iest." Phoenix told him as she fastened her waistcoat.

"Tye eno aníra an aphada sin naugrim an Erebor an mapa-dan i orod o i amlug?" He asked her.

"Lá ada, inyë innas ena gwanna di i naugrim." She told him.

"You could die." Elrond told her; suddenly no longer speaking Elvish to her, hoping that somehow his use of the common tongue would make her see how worried he was about what she was planning.

"I know." She told him.

"Does that not matter to you?" He asked her. "Do you wish to leave your sister, your brothers and me?" Elrond asked her, for once showing emotion and his worry over his oldest daughter and child leaving for a battle.

"Father, be reasonable." Phoenix told him, fastening her weapons belt over her slim waist as she spoke.

"I am being reasonable." He told her. "You are my daughter; I do not want to lose you."

"You won't." She told him, looking at him as she fastened her hair up with a pin. "Have faith in my ability father, please."

Elrond looked away from her and he refused to look at her, this might have seemed out of character for the Elf Lord, but he had been like this before. Looking away was his way to hide any emotion that he felt towards his daughter leaving.

"Ada..." Phoenix started, but she could not finish her sentence, instead she walked over to the Elf Lord and she used a hand to lift his head to look at her.

Only when Elrond looked at her again, his eyes full of sadness and loss did she decide to speak again?

"You have the gift of foresight; tell me what you can see." She told him.

Elrond looked at her, and his gaze seemed to harden and Phoenix could see the change instantly and it unsettled her.

"Ada, what have you seen?"

"I looked into your future..." Elrond started. "And I saw death...But also life...Your powers will aid you well in the future."

Phoenix looked at him. "Then it is settled." She told him. "I will be fine."

"You use your powers in a battle and then I cannot see you." He told her, catching her elbow as she turned away to fetch her weapons, and it caused Phoenix to stop and look at him.

"Ada, you know that I am unable to die, many people have tried, so why do you worry so much now?" She asked him.

"Because I am your father, I would not let Arwen go out there with a bunch of dwarves who can offer no amount of protection." He told her.

"But I am not Arwen." Phoenix reminded him. "Ada, would you let Arwen do as she thought was right?" Phoenix asked.

"Of course, but-"

"And would you let me do what I thought was right?" She asked.

"Of course I would." He told her.

"Then let me do this." She told him. "I feel that helping the dwarves on their quest is the right thing to do." She told him. "Please Ada."

Elrond looked at her and he sighed. "Just promise that you will be careful, and send me word if and when you can."

Phoenix nodded. "I will, now come, let us go and eat." She told him and together, the pair walked down to the pavilion.

It was there where they found Phoenix's siblings all sat around a table and they all stopped to look at her when they saw what she was wearing.

"You are leaving?" Arwen asked as she got to her feet.

She nodded. "Arwen, you knew that I was not going to be staying for a long time." She told her.

"But I thought you would at least give your family some warning." She told her, and the dwarves watched, not knowing whether Arwen was going to cry or shout at her older sister.

"Arwen, I have to go." Phoenix told her.

"Caro tye buia sin naugrim egor an tya nothlir?" Elrohir suddenly asked.

"Nányë cared man inyë savan ea fair." Phoenix told him as she looked at her siblings. "My brothers, the pair of you chose to take up the sword and travel the whole of Middle Earth to battle for our people, and all of you had had a chance at an adventure, now it's my turn, and I have chosen to follow the company of Thorin Oakenshield."

The trio of elves looked down at their plates as Phoenix took her seat beside Thorin, no longer feeling the need to eat, but merely sitting there for conversation. Thorin gently slid his hand over hers in comfort, but he could see that Phoenix took no comfort in this.

"How about some music?" One of the dwarves, Nori asked. "This Elvish stuff still makes me feel like I'm at a funeral."

"Alright lads, my song it is." Bofur told them as he climbed onto his table and he suddenly started singing.

Thorin watched Phoenix as Bofur continued to sing and he smiled at seeing the small smile that had appeared on Phoenix's lips. Suddenly Bofur's song came to an end and Bofur pulled out his fiddle and he started to play, with Nori and Dori continuing the tune using the pieces of cutlery that they had. The song was both fast and upbeat, nothing like the common elvish music that the dwarves had been subjected to the past few days and suddenly Thorin was on his feet and everyone stopped, however what he did seemed to take them all by surprise.

"My lady," He held his hand out to Phoenix. "May I have this dance?" He asked.

Phoenix looked up at him. "You must be out of your mind." She told him. "I do not know how to dance."

"I will guide you." He told her, and he pulled her to her feet and over to where his company had moved their tables so that they could dance and he guided her in a dance. At first it was slow, but the faster the music the more they danced and soon Phoenix had gotten the hang of the dance and she was soon dancing around the floor with Thorin, laughing and smiling. The dwarves around them were all smiling as they watched their king and his love and even Balin smiled as he saw the love that they had towards each other.

As the song came to a close, Thorin and Phoenix were both looking at each other and they smiled happily at each other, both breathing heavily from the exhaustion of the dance. All of the dwarves around them seemed to be waiting for them and it was not until Ori spoke up that they realised that they were still staring at each other.

"Well kiss her." Ori told Thorin and everyone laughed in surprise, as they all thought one of the princes would be the first to say it.

Phoenix had gained a soft blush to her cheeks and she looked at Thorin who was looking at her wide eyed and she smiled, before she pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek.

"Oh come on, that was rubbish!" Kili shouted.

"That's enough." Balin hissed at him as he watched as Thorin kissed Phoenix's hand and left the group as he went to walk away his thoughts.

After a while, Phoenix and Bilbo went to find him and they found him sat on some steps, overlooking a path that at that moment held Gandalf and Elrond. Sitting on either side of him, Phoenix gently slid a hand into his as the three of them listened to what was going on.

"Of course I was going to tell you." Gandalf was saying to the Elf Lord. "But this meeting was merely chance and I am sure that you trust that I know what I am doing."

"Do you?" Elrond asked. "If my daughter was not a part of this then I would be more confident in you Mithrandir, but she came to me almost just as injured as that dwarf she carried. I worry for her safety and that of the one she loves, if Thorin dies, then I do not know how she will be able to manage."

"But Phoenix is the only one able to help us against the dragon." Gandalf told him. "Her gift will be very beneficial."

"That dragon has slept for over sixty years, what will happen if your plan shall fail?" He asked. "If you wake that beast-"

"Then Phoenix will be able to fight it, she has more power than even she is wary of." Gandalf told him and Phoenix looked at Thorin as he looked at her and she tightened her grip on his hand.

"If we succeed, then the dwarves can reclaim the mountain and then our defences in the East will be stronger than ever."

"It is a dangerous move, and not to mention a careless one." Elrond chided.

"It is also dangerous for us to do nothing." Gandalf told him. "Look, the throne of Erebor is Thorin's right." At his words both Bilbo and Phoenix looked at the dwarven king between them. "What is it you fear?" Gandalf asked.

"Have you forgotten; a strain of madness runs deep within that family?" Elrond told him. "His grandfather lost his mind and even his father succumbed to the same sickness, what makes you think that Thorin will not do the same?" Elrond asked.

"Your daughter," Gandalf told him. "Phoenix has a habit of calming Thorin whenever she is near, makes him more like the dwarf he used to be."

"Gandalf, I would like for you to stop thinking of Phoenix as a solution to everything." Elrond told him. "Now, these matters cannot be decided by just you and I, a higher power need to be contacted as we alone cannot redraw the map of Middle Earth by just us..."

With that, the voices faded away as the two walked further and further away from the group and when they were gone Thorin got to his feet.

"Where are you going?" Phoenix asked him.

Bilbo looked over at the pair as Thorin stood with his back to them.

"I do not wish for you to carry on our journey."

Phoenix and Bilbo looked at him like he was mad, they had all just heard that Thorin would need Phoenix and here he was, telling her that she was not needed.

"Thorin, I am not staying behind." Phoenix told him, getting to her feet.

"Yes you are." Thorin told him.

"Are you going to try and make me?" She asked him, and she was suddenly on her feet and she walked to stand in front of him. "Because I will tell you now, I am not some child that needs to be continually protected, and anyway, what has brought this one?"

"You are my lover, I refuse to let you even chance getting hurt." He told her.

"Do not start this now." She told him. "Thorin, it is because I love you and the promise that I made to Thrain that I am going with you."

"What promise did you make to my father?" Thorin asked, looking away from her to where they had heard Gandalf and Elrond talking.

"I promised to look after you, which is why I have been following you for so long." She told him. "I am not letting you go to war with a dragon and an orc pack, without my protection, I will not lose you!" She told him.

The look of determination in her eyes was enough to scare the poor Hobbit out of his mind, but also enough to smother any attempts at rebuff that Thorin was going to try. Thorin looked at her and he sighed, gently resting a hand on her cheek. "I just do not wish to lose you."

"You will not lose me." She promised him, leaning her head into his hand.

Thorin sighed, pressing his forehead to hers. "We leave at dawn, but can I ask you to join me here for the remainder of the night, so that we can share in a quiet moment together alone?"

"Of course." Phoenix told him, gently moving her hand to shoo Bilbo along and he knew better than to stick around and upset Thorin further.

Later that night, the pair returned to the group to find the other dwarves asleep and the Hobbit curled up asleep by the fire. At seeing the sleeping company, Phoenix looked at Thorin.

"Go and get some sleep, I will stay awake for the night." She whispered to him.

"You need to sleep too." Thorin told her.

"Not as much as you." She told him.

"Still, will you lie with me?" He asked.

At this she nodded and she waited until he had set out his bedding, before he lay down and she curled up next to him, her head resting on his arm that was outstretched for her and he smiled to himself, before he kissed her head.

"If you awake before I, then wake me up just before dawn." Thorin whispered.

"I will, now go to sleep." She told him, and after a few minutes, she felt Thorin fall asleep against her back and soon enough, she fell into sleep as well.

All too soon, she was woken to whispers, someone was whispering her name and she opened her eyes to find her sister stood in the mass of dwarves and Arwen gestured for her to follow, so she carefully unwound herself from Thorin's arms and followed her sister out of the mass of dwarves to the opening of the stairs that had led to them.

"What is it?" Phoenix asked in a whisper.

"I wanted to apologise, we all did." Arwen told her quietly and suddenly Elrohir and Elladan were sat with them.

"We should not have said what we did." Elrohir told her.

"And we have decided that you were right to want your own life, after all, being the first of your kind, you need to make a name for yourself." Elladan told her.

"Just do not forget about us all here in Rivendell." Arwen told her.

"I promise, I won't," She told him. "I will be back, this battle will not claim my life as everyone seems to think." She told them.

They all looked at her in silence for a few minutes, before Elladan spoke. "When do you leave?"

"At sunrise," She told them, before she looked out to where the sky had turned pink in the morning light.

"Then we will let you go back to sleep, just promise us that you will come home." Arwen spoke.

"I promise." She told her, and she was pulled into a hug with her sister, before her brothers done the same, all bidding her wishes of good health and luck on her journey, before she went back to lie next to Thorin.

"Where did you go to?" He whispered as he slid an arm around her and Phoenix laid her head on his chest.

"My siblings wished to talk." She told him. "It's nothing for you to worry about."

Thorin nodded sleepily and went back to sleep.

A few hours passed and Phoenix ended up waking Thorin up just as the sun was visible and together they woke the rest of the company up and as quietly as possible, they tidied up their things and got themselves ready to leave Rivendell.

"Lass, how do we get out of Rivendell?" Nori asked as he watched Phoenix put on her rangers cloak and pull the hood up over her head to keep out the morning chill.

"Let me worry about that." She told him, looking at the dwarves around her. "Are we all ready?" She whispered.

"Why are you whispering?" Kili asked.

"Because the last thing you want is my father to find us." Phoenix told them. "He will try and stop us."

"No chance of that." The voice had her turn around and she found Elladan stood in the doorway. "He is still with the White Council."

"Good." Phoenix told him.

"Now come, we must be quick to get you all out of here without much notice." Elrohir told them as he too appeared and stood next to his brother.

"Well let's be off then." Dwalin told them and the dwarves all followed the two elf lords to the gates of Rivendell where they found Arwen waiting as the dwarves left through the gate, Arwen managed to hug her sister one more time.

"Tolo dan an men cuin." Arwen whispered to her, before she watched her sister nod her reply and then run off after the dwarves, and she felt her heart ache, because she did not know if she would ever see her again.

As they got to where the mountain trail started, Thorin caught up to Phoenix. "You don't have to come with us." He reminded her. "You could stay."

"No, I promised that I would join you, so that is what I am doing." She told him, kissing his cheek before she led him up the mountain, the rest of the company following on behind.

"Master Baggins, I suggest you keep up, otherwise we will leave you behind." Thorin shouted back to him and then they were gone, further and further away from the comfort and safety of the Elves of Rivendell and even further into the unknown. It was nerve wracking and exciting for all of them, to be on a quest of this magnitude and have no idea what awaited them. But that was all part of the fun of adventure...Wasn't it?

 **Translations**

Iell, Ecë nin carfa an tye : Daughter, please may I talk to you?

Sui tye iest : As you wish

Tye eno aníra an aphada sin naugrim an Erebor an mapa-dan i orod o i amlug? : You still desire to follow these dwarves to Erebor to take back the mountain from the dragon?

Lá ada, inyë innas ena gwanna di i naugrim : Yes father, I will still depart with the dwarves

Nányë cared man inyë savan ea fair : I am doing what I believe to be right

Caro tye buia sin naugrim egor an tya nothlir? : Do you hold more allegiance to these dwarves or to your family?


	9. Chapter 9

Into the Unknown

They travelled for days along the rocky and rough terrain, this time they were on foot, the dwarves having no ponies so Phoenix had left Carnahan in Rivendell, to be cared for by Arwen and her brothers. As they walked, she mainly stayed beside Thorin or Fili and Kili and when she stayed near the princes, they would always be laughing and joking around her, and she found it all to be in good humour. Thorin could not keep the smile from his face as he watched her and his nephews, but it always disappeared when he saw how far away the hobbit was lagging.

"Master Baggins, you need to hurry up, or you will be left behind." He shouted over to him.

After Thorin shouting that to the Hobbit the fourth time, Phoenix walked over and she fell into step beside him.

"I thought Hobbits were keen walkers." She told him as they walked.

The Hobbit in question looked at her with a flushed face from trying to keep up. "Hobbits are, but he is pushing us on, and the speed is something that I am not used to." He told her.

"I could carry you if you wanted." She told him.

"No, that won't be necessary, thank you." Bilbo told her.

"Alright, well then, good luck keeping up." She told him and she walked on ahead, immediately moving at a faster but still comfortable pace.

"Um...Wait...Hold on." Bilbo shouted and Phoenix smiled before she leant down and she picked up the Hobbit on her back, since as an elf she was tall enough to lift him high enough off the ground, a piggy back was acceptable.

"Comfortable?" Phoenix asked.

"Very." Bilbo nodded and he was suddenly impressed by how quick Phoenix could move, in hardly any time at all, she was walking right beside Thorin, Fili and Kili and the young princes laughed at the Hobbit's predicament whilst Thorin scowled.

Phoenix however, took no notice and she carried the Hobbit on her back across the terrain as they walked. Bilbo and the dwarves were in awe of how she could never tire whilst carrying her own pack, the Hobbit and the Hobbit's pack whilst they tired with just their own packs. Eventually it got too dark to continue and they stopped on a grass field and only then did Phoenix put the Hobbit down.

"Phoenix, I must admit, you are amazing." Bilbo told her as he sorted his sleeping mat next to hers.

"Thank you Bilbo." She smiled. "But I don't see how."

"Well, you've just carried me and our packs, miles and you don't even look tired." Bilbo started. "You fight like nothing I have ever seen and you can cook amazingly."

Phoenix smiled though everyone could see that she had a slight tinge of red to the points of her ears in embarrassment.

"But I have my flaws." She told them. "The fact that I can carry a load such as these miles is seen as a flaw." She told him.

"Well I don't see them as a flaw." Bilbo told her.

Phoenix looked over at him as she knelt on her bedding and she removed her sword belt and laid it down beside her bed. "And for that, I thank you Bilbo." She told him. "Hobbits truly are accepting little folk."

Bilbo smiled and the pair of them sat on the blankets that they had, watching everyone else as they set about starting a fire, making stew and setting out their own bedding.

Once everyone was settled and stew had been served, they all sat around in quiet chatter, eating.

"Mister Balin." Phoenix started.

"Yes lass?" Balin asked, looking over at her.

"Is there any stories that you know of?" Phoenix asked.

"Lass, there are plenty." He told her.

"Could you possibly tell us of one?" She asked.

"Aye, I have a story of the day that Thorin became out king which might enlighten you." He told her.

"Do tell." She turned slightly to look at him.

Balin smiled at the curiosity of the young lass that had joined them and he thought of where to begin.

"It all started with the Battle of Moria." Balin started. "This was where Thorin has more reason than most to hate Orc."

 _After the dragon took the Lonely Mountain, the dwarves of Erebor moved on to the wilderness as they made their way towards their new home. It was decided that they would try to take back Moria, in order to build their new lives in the halls of their people. So an army was put together, and they marched on Moria, but their enemy had gotten there first. Azog the Defiler, the white orc from Gundabad, had sworn to end the Line of Durin, and in this battle, he sought to do it. They were led into battle by King Thror, but the battle proved to be too great. Many were slaughtered, and the dwarves were pushed back._

 _"_ _Father, we have to retreat!" Thrain shouted to the King who was still fighting with all of his strength._

 _"_ _No! We need to take back Moria!" The King shouted. "Advance!" Thror yelled and he charged forward, many coming to his aid as he did so, but many were pushed back._

 _Thorin watched the bloodshed as he fought to stay alive against the onslaught of orcs and what he saw made his blood run cold. His grandfather was facing down the Pale white orc! Azog took his chance to start his destruction of the Line of Durin and he fought the old king until he was on his knees and in a swing swipe, he beheaded the Dwarf at his feet. With a cry he raised the head off the ground, his victory chant ringing out amongst the battlefield._

 _At seeing his father's head, Thrain went mad, fleeing the battlefield in anguish, no one knew what became of him. Had he been captured, or killed? Who was to say? But now it was up to Thorin. The young dwarf prince had to avenge his grandfather and his father by facing down the White orc! Thorin advanced with determination and fire, this was the night that his people would be avenged! Azog attacked him with the same determination to kill him that he had had with his grandfather. His battle mace hit Thorin's shield, the sound travelling for miles around. Again and again he hit the prince, the shield no longer a match for him as Azog hit it so hard, and it flew from Thorin's grasp, nearly taking Thorin's arm with it. The next defence was Thorin's sword as that too was soon hit away by the mace. Azog was not finished with the dwarf prince yet, he hit Thorin so hard that he flew across the ground, hitting rocks as he passed. When he was still, Thorin saw the orc coming towards him, but with no shield, no weapon and now dented and broken armour, he was powerless. Getting to his feet, he picked up the only thing that he could – a single oaken branch and that proved to be his shield. As Azog attacked, the mace hit the branch, but this branch was strong, it would not simply yield like the rest of his armour had. Using his newfound shield to buy himself some time, Thorin found his sword and as Azog went to deliver another swift blow, Thorin threw his sword up and it sliced through the wrist that held Azog's weapon. With a cry of pain, Azog moved back, clutching his now blood drenched arm in pain. Now it was Azog's turn to be powerless as he slunk back into Moria as Thorin led the charge to destroy those who dared to stay for the battle. However, no songs were held after the battle that day, for there were too many of the dead to measure in grief and Moria was never reclaimed that day, or any day since._

"It was that day that Azog the Defiler found that the Line of Durin could not be so easily broken." Balin told her and Phoenix glanced over to where she could see Fili and Kili sat together on their bedding, listening and then she glanced over to Thorin who was watching from afar.

"What happened to the White Orc?" Bilbo asked.

"That filth died of his wounds long ago." Thorin snarled and he missed the look that Phoenix held, it was a look of worry, like she knew something that they did not.

That night, everyone slept peacefully beside the fire, except for Thorin, he was sat on a rock, leaning against a larger one behind him. He had decided to take first watch and let his nephews sleep, since he himself was now plagued with the nightmare that came from remembering that battle long ago. Meanwhile, Phoenix was also awake, though she kept her eyes closed as she lay on her blankets, she was thinking of Thrain, Thorin's father, both she and Thorin knew that he was alive, but to hear the battle in detail from Balin, made Phoenix wonder. Would Thrain ever truly be alright? Sighing to herself, she sat herself up and she carefully got to her feet, bringing her swords with her, walking over to where she could see Thorin's outline.

"Could you not sleep?" She asked him.

"Not really...Balin talking of the battle brought back some memories that I wish that I could have forgotten." He told her.

"Forgive me, I should not have asked him to tell me." She told him.

"It's alright...In fact I wish to ask something of you." Thorin told her.

"What is it?" She asked.

"Could you possibly teach me some Elvish now, maybe that will help me to sleep?" He asked.

"If that is what you wish." She told him and she thought of some words, just by looking at him.

"Megil." She told him.

"What does it mean?" He asked.

"Sword." She told him. "Megil is the Elvish word for sword."

"What about King?" Thorin asked.

"That is aran." She told him.

"Mountain?" Thorin asked.

"Orod." Phoenix told him. "Your title would be Aran uin orod." Phoenix told him.

"What does it mean?"

"King of the Mountain." She told him.

Thorin could not help the smile, and he rested his head on her shoulder. "How do you say I love you again?" He asked.

"Inyë mÎl tye." She told him.

"Inyë mÎl tye, Phoenix." Thorin whispered.

"Inyë mÎl tye acca, Thorin." Phoenix told him and she pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead.

They stayed there until the sun started to rise and Phoenix gathered her bedding as Thorin started to wake everyone up.

When everyone had eaten and cleared away their bedding, they were off again, walking towards a mountain range. This time, Phoenix did not carry the Hobbit, but she remained close to spur him on when she felt that he needed it. They soon came to a large waterfall and this time, they allowed Phoenix to go first to see whether it was safe. As she made her way along the rocks under the waterfall, she looked back at them.

"It's safe." She told them, but she was suddenly speared into the water by Fili and Kili, who had taken off their packs and weapons as quietly as they could as Phoenix had taken to walking across the stones and decided to jump her. When they all resurfaced, everyone was laughing and even Thorin cracked a smile as he watched her suddenly push both of his nephews back under water as she got out.

"Refreshing." She commented and she laughed as she watched the other dwarves removed their packs and jump into the water.

She took off her weapons belt and her waistcoat along with her cloak and pack and she left them in the sun to dry before she watched them as she sat on a rock.

She watched as everyone got pushed in by one another until it was only Thorin stood on the edge of the water.

"Come on Uncle; take some time to relax, for once!" Kili shouted over.

"I am perfectly fine here." He told him, shaking his head with a smile as he watched his nephew.

"Come on Thorin!" Dwalin shouted. "Enjoy something for once!"

Phoenix watched and she walked behind him silently and she suddenly used all of her strength and pushed Thorin into the water, and when he resurfaced, Phoenix was almost curled up on the floor laughing at him.

"Phoenix!" Thorin shouted, but he knew that she couldn't hear him through her laughter and even Thorin could not help but laugh.

When she had recovered enough, Phoenix ended up diving in with them and they all started to splash each other, but Phoenix went further, she swam down to the river bed and swam along the bottom, looking at the rocks and fish that passed. She did not realise how deep she had gone, until she saw something glinting in the water up ahead and she swam towards it. She had almost forgotten about the group of dwarves that were still in the shallows in her curiosity over the shiny item. Soon she came close to it and she saw it was a jewel, a silvery coloured jewel, and she picked it up, turning it over in her hands. However, something from the corner of her eyes caught her gaze, it was dark, but it moved along the floor like a snake, looking back up, Phoenix scanned the area for any signs of what it belonged to. So far there was nothing, but suddenly something bumped into her and when she turned around she screamed! It was a head, a decomposed, human head! With a scream she fled to the surface, but ended up getting caught on something and with a wince, she pulled herself free. Meanwhile, everyone else was looking around for Phoenix, wondering where she had gone too, but they did not expect to see her suddenly bob up to the surface a few miles away, her skin almost white with fear.

"Phoenix!" Bofur shouted. "There you are lass, we were gettin' worried!" He told Phoenix and they all watched her swim over to them.

"Guys, she doesn't look very good." Bilbo told them and this caused them all to stand still waiting for Phoenix to get back to them and Thorin was getting impatient, he needed to know that she was alright. When she got closer, they saw the look of terror on her face.

"What is it lass?" Balin asked.

"We need to get out of the water." Phoenix told them.

"Why lass, what's the matter?" Dwalin asked.

"There are dead people in the water." She told them. "We have to get out of here."

"Lass, the poor folk probably drowned." Bofur told her to try and calm her, and he pressed a hand to her shoulder. "Jesus lass, you're ice cold."

"There's something else out there." She told him. "I saw something...But I don't know what it was."

"Look!" Ori shouted and they all saw something big was coming towards them under the water.

"Get out!" Thorin shouted from where he was already sat on the edge and he helped to pull some of the dwarves out.

Quickly all of the dwarves, Bilbo and Phoenix scrambled out of the water and as they looked back, whatever it was that had been coming towards them had disappeared.

"I think it's gone." Ori whispered.

"Great, let's get out of here." Nori told them and as everyone went to grab their packs, Dori seemed to notice something on the ground, the water was stained red.

"Someone is bleeding." Dori told the group and they all looked around, before they saw the culprit – Phoenix's shirt was stained red with blood.

"Lass, you're bleeding." Nori told her and suddenly everyone was staring at Phoenix.

Phoenix looked at them, before she looked at the wound she had. "I must have done it whilst I was underwater." She told them. "Don't worry it's not as bad as it looks."

"Oin, check her over." Thorin told him.

"Thorin, that won't be necessary." Phoenix told him.

"No Phoenix." Thorin told her.

"Um...Everyone..." Bilbo started and suddenly a leviathan threw itself out of the water, its tentacles going straight for the dwarves.

"Grab your weapons!" Thorin shouted.

"Look out!" Fili shouted as a tentacle went straight for Thorin, but he just about managed to get out of the way.

Suddenly there was a cry as the dwarves were grabbed by the tentacles and they were held above the leviathan, but the force at which one of the tentacles grabbed one of the dwarves beside her, knocked Phoenix to the ground and she landed on her weapons, no doubt making her wound worse. Taking a deep breath, Phoenix got herself to her feet and she looked at the mess of leviathan that held the dwarves in the air like they were trophies, the cries of the dwarves and the Hobbit as they wanted to be put back on the floor.

"Let them go!" Phoenix shouted. "Adleitha tú!" She told the leviathan and the dwarves and hobbit watched as it was suddenly still, like it was judging what Phoenix had said, but the dwarves were still shouting.

"Quiet!" Thorin told them and immediately the dwarves went silent.

"It is alright." Phoenix spoke. "Put them down."

The leviathan was almost lowering the dwarves to the ground, until Ori accidentally let go of one of the stones from his slingshot and it hit the Leviathan. At the hit of the stone, it let out a blood curdling scream and one of its tentacles flew out and suddenly hit Phoenix, throwing her back into the rock. This time, Phoenix let out a cry of pain as she hit the rock in an awkward position that almost broke every bone in her body, but when the tentacle went back into the water, she still forced herself to her feet, yet now she could not breathe properly and the quick flowing of blood was starting to make her light headed. Yet she picked up her bow and stayed an arrow before she looked at the creature.

"Let them go, or the arrow flies." She told it and at seeing the tip of the arrow suddenly spark into flames, the leviathan went to put them down.

As the dwarves reached the floor, they all scurried back to stand behind Phoenix and as it seemed to disappear below the water she lowered her bow. When it was fully gone, the dwarves and Hobbit all rejoiced, gathering around Phoenix, who ended up wincing and nearly collapsing to her knees as the full pain of her open wound hit her.

"Phoenix." Thorin gasped, and he urged the other dwarves away so that Oin could get in and check on her.

Phoenix stayed still as Oin made his way towards her, but suddenly she pushed him out of the way as a remaining tentacle suddenly threw itself out towards them and it grabbed hold of Phoenix, pulling her into the water.

"Phoenix!" Thorin shouted.

Under the water, Phoenix was limited to hardly any oxygen, yet she struggled against the crushing grip of the tentacle. Pulling a dagger from her belt, she slashed at the tentacle until it let her go with another scream which sounded much worse under the water, and she swam as fast as she could back to the surface. A few minutes later, Phoenix resurfaced, coughing out water and she wiped it from her eyes, looking around for the leviathan that had grabbed her.

"Phoenix, are you alright?" Thorin shouted to her.

"I'm alright." She shouted back to him.

"Can you swim?" Thorin shouted over to her.

Phoenix shook her head. "No, I'm still bleeding." She shouted to him.

"Alright, I'm coming out to get you." Thorin told her and he looked at Dwalin. "Bring your axe."

Dwalin nodded and he grabbed hold of it, and the pair of them slid into the water and Thorin looked at his nephews. "All of you keep an eye out, anything moves in the water, kill it."

His nephews nodded and they all grabbed their weapons, before Thorin and Dwalin started to swim out towards Phoenix.

They reached her after a while, and Thorin and Dwalin found that Phoenix was surrounded by a puddle of red.

"Lass, eyes open." Dwalin told her.

"I'm alright; just cold...I don't do well in cold water." She told them.

"Alright, now hold onto me." Thorin told her and he helped her put her arms around his neck from behind.

"We've got you lass; you're going to be okay." Dwalin told her and he watched as Phoenix rested her head on Thorin's back as he swam with her back towards the others. As Thorin helped Phoenix, Dwalin kept his axe close, he needed to be ready in case they were attacked by anything such as that leviathan, but nothing else happened. They got Phoenix onto the bank and Oin checked her wound, before he started to pull off her shirt as Thorin, Balin and Dwalin helped to make a curtain around her so that Oin could help her patch herself up and when she was done, the guys moved away but quick enough for everyone to quickly advert their eyes after seeing the corset Phoenix had on underneath.

"I didn't know that you wore a corset." Ori told her.

And it caused Phoenix to smile in amusement as she saw Dori hit him on the back of the head.

"Laddie, when a lady is in a state of undress, you avert your eyes." Dori scolded.

"It's alright Dori; he wouldn't have seen much, only the corner." Phoenix told him.

"I think we had best keep moving." Thorin told them. "We don't want that thing to come back."

All of the dwarves nodded and they gathered their packs, well Thorin gathered both his and Phoenix's, and he slid an arm around her waist. "Lean on me." He told her.

Phoenix nodded and she switched her bangle and used it to grow smaller and she leant against him as they walked, still not having her full strength back. They carried on with their journey well into the night and Thorin found that Phoenix was tiring much more against him.

"We need to find shelter." Thorin told the others.

"Over there!" Bilbo shouted and they eventually found a cave which they could occupy as it grew darker.

Once they were all set up for sleep, Thorin had made sure that he had set his bedding up next to Phoenix and he was currently sat on his as Phoenix lay sleeping on hers.

"How is she doing lad?" Balin whispered as he walked over.

"She's been asleep since she lay down." Thorin told her, he sounded worried.

"Aye, at least she is getting some rest." He nodded, resting a hand on Thorin's shoulder in hopes to comfort his king. "Try not to worry lad, we will wake her up soon so that she can eat."

Thorin nodded and he watched Balin go back to join the others by the fire as he kept watch over Phoenix. With Thorin staying away from the mass of dwarves, that had huddled around the fire pit, and they were listening to Gloin moaning about their predicament.

"She shouldn't have swum off." He fumed.

"I don't see why you're moaning." Dwalin told him. "She is perfectly capable of doing as she wants."

"But she then put our King's life in danger." Gloin growled.

"Thorin chose to go to her." Balin told him. "I think we need to all accept the fact that Thorin would happily spend the rest of his days with Phoenix and risk his own life for her." He told the dwarves.

"Aye and we would all risk our lives for her." Bofur told them. "She is a lovely person, and Thorin should be happy after this long."

"Aye, but Thorin also needs to rule Erebor, and it won't be easy when Dis and Dain find out." Balin told them.

"Surely they can't do anything though." Kili told him. "I mean, mum and Dain care for Thorin, surely they would always want him to be happy."

"I don't know lad, but I do know that your mother will not be happy about Phoenix's race." Dwalin told them.

"Aye, but all we can do are waiting and see what happens." Balin told them.

"I'm all for breaking them up." Gloin told the group and they all looked at him.

"Seriously," Fili asked. "He's happy and you want to ruin that?"

"I want a queen who can rule, do as she's told and provide heirs, like a queen should. And not put the King is danger." Gloin told them.

"You are so old-fashioned." Kili told him.

"Lad, I know how it should be done; you on the other hand are still a child."

"No, you just don't like how someone else has something that you want." Kili told him.

"What did you say, lad?" Gloin growled.

"You heard me, you want Phoenix for yourself, but she doesn't want you." He told him. "I saw how you were looking at her when she accidentally showed her corset."

"Alright Kid-"Before Gloin could say anything else, someone else was alerted to their talk.

"That's enough!" Thorin's voice spoke up and everyone looked at him to find both him and Phoenix stood there.

As the rest of the dwarves stood there staring at the pair, they found Thorin's hands on either side of Phoenix's waist and Phoenix seemed to be leaning against him. Everyone was in shock, but Bofur soon snapped out of it as he scooted over on his log.

"Here lass, come and get some good hearty stew inside you, you need some food after today." Bofur told her.

"Thank you Bofur." Phoenix told them and not long after she sat down, was she handed a bowl of stew. "I don't think I should spend much time here." She told them after a few minutes of silence.

"What do you mean lass?" Balin asked.

"At last, some sense." Gloin growled.

"I don't think that I am the best thing to join the company." She told them. "I think I should go back to the Valley."

"Well our King would be much safer without you." Gloin told her. "Have a nice trip."

"That's enough!" Thorin told him as he sat beside Phoenix, sliding an arm around her waist in comfort. "Phoenix, you don't have to leave." He told her.

"Gloin's right, I put you in danger." She told him, looking at him. "I love you too much to do that."

"No, I'm not letting you leave." Thorin told her, looking at her as his grip tightened on her, though he was careful not to touch her wound.

"Aye, neither are we." Kili told her.

"Aye, Phoenix we need you." Fili told her.

"Yeah, we do, not just because you have power over fire." Bofur told her.

"Or because you make really nice food." Bomber told her.

"But because you are a warrior." Dwalin told her.

"And we care about you, like you were one of us." Balin told her, walking over to her and he stood behind her, a hand resting on either of her shoulders. "You are one of us lass, and that is how you will stay." Balin told her. "No one gets left behind."

Phoenix gave him a soft smile and Bofur slid his own coat around her as he handed her some more stew since she still looked hungry and the dwarves all watched her as she ate her food, finishing in seconds.

Once Phoenix had eaten, everyone decided to help her to bed; somehow all of the dwarves and Hobbit, beside Gloin, decided that she need the whole group's help to get back to bed. Bofur and Balin used their coats as pillows, Bilbo pulled the blanket over her, and Dwalin, Thorin and Kili put their coats around her to keep her warm and the other dwarves made sure that she had everything that she needed. As she slowly fell back to sleep, they all dispersed, Dwalin taking watch and Thorin soon joined him.

"She won't leave you know." Dwalin told him.

"I hope not." Thorin sighed.

"You really love her, don't you?" Dwalin asked.

"I do." He nodded.

"How did you know?" He asked.

"What do you mean?" Thorin asked him.

"How did you know that you loved her?" Dwalin asked.

"I don't know really...I mean she's been keeping an eye on me for a while, so I kind of fell in love with the idea of having someone watching my back no matter what, even though I didn't know it was her, and I thought that it was a man." Thorin shrugged. "But when I found out who she was, we started talking and I just realised that I could not go another day without her voice. I love hearing her talk, I love the colour of her eyes, and soon I found that I loved the whole person." Thorin shrugged.

Dwalin smiled. "I wonder what there is to love about you." He joked.

Thorin laughed quietly. "Maybe you should ask her."

"Trust me, I will, when she's had a good night sleep." Dwalin told him.

Thorin nodded. "Good idea."

"Speaking of sleep, you should go and get some too." Dwalin told him. "Go and be with her Thorin, I think she will need you before the night is out."

Thorin nodded and he gently touched Dwalin's shoulder, before he too retired to his sleeping mat, next to the woman he loved and he found her still buried under the coats and fast asleep.

Thorin admired her sleeping for a few minutes, before he lay down and having no need for a blanket with the heat that already radiated through the coats from Phoenix, he soon fell asleep. He woke up the next morning to one of his arms over Phoenix, keeping her back against his chest, and he woke up to the smell of cooking and he left Phoenix to sleep as he went to get some food for them both. When Phoenix woke up again, she looked a lot better and after a quick check by Oin, who seemed happy that her wound was well healed, the company packed up their things and they started to continue their walk, with Phoenix leading them to a mountain peak.

"Which way?" Balin asked her.

"Up." Phoenix told them and she looked at the trail that led up the mountain side.

"Are you sure lass?" Dwalin asked.

"It is the quickest way." She told them. "We need to make it to Erebor before the last light of Durin's day, right?" She asked.

"Yes." Thorin told her.

"Then we need to take the quickest route, this is the quickest route, however, it is also the most dangerous, so we need to be really careful." She told them, looking back at them.

"Alright lass, will you be okay to lead on?" Balin asked.

Phoenix nodded. "Follow me and stay in a single line, it will be easier." She told them. "And stay close." She told them, before they all walked up the hill and into the mountains. It started raining as they got halfway up the mountain, but this was not what bothered them, they all seemed well prepared for this. However, they all soon wished they had taken the longer path, especially when it got more and more dangerous as they went further.

 **Translation**

Megil : Sword

Aran : King

Orod : Mountain

Aran uin orod : King of the Mountain

Inyë mÎl tye : I love you

Inyë mÎl tye acca : I love you too

Adleitha tú : Release them


	10. Chapter 10

Out of the Frying Pan and into the Fire

The mountain moved without their knowledge, the rain beating down on them like it was attempting to push them off the already thin ledge. One shake after another had the company grabbing the rocks behind them from dear life. Yet they had no other choice but to push on with their task of scaling the mountain. Edging further and further along the ledge, Phoenix leading the way with Thorin closes behind her. Since their talk back in Rivendell, and the past events, they seemed closer than when they first begun courting, if that was even possible, and it pleased both Fili and Kili to no end. Yet now, there was no time for speech, only to keep each other safe and make sure that none of them fell from the mountain and into the dark chasm below. Suddenly there was a large jolt and everyone gripped the side of the mountain for the only lifeline that they had. When it was over, Phoenix looked behind at the rest of the company and she realised that someone was missing.

"Where's Bilbo?" She shouted.

"Where is the Hobbit?" Bofur shouted and everyone looked around.

"There he is." Fili exclaimed and both he and Bofur dived to their knees as they found Bilbo dangling from the ledge below.

"Bilbo, reach for us!" Bofur shouted trying to reach the small Hobbit.

Everyone watched as the Hobbit reached up but his hand was about to slip and suddenly someone was lifting him up. Looking down, Phoenix saw that Thorin had climbed down to lift him up so that the other dwarves could grab him and pull him back to safety. However as he was about to climb back up onto the ledge the rocks underneath him gave way and thinking fast, Phoenix fell to her knees as she grabbed his hand, wincing in pain as her wrists hit the rock ledge but she got through it.

"Thorin!" She gasped out, struggling to keep a grip on the dwarf and pull him up onto the ledge by herself.

"Phoenix." Thorin shouted up, trying to help his lover and find something to grab on to, but this time there was nothing, and now he was relying on her strength to save him.

At feeling herself slipping towards the edge and about to fall off with him, Phoenix reached out her hand for something to grab hold of and she found a rock, and she looked at who was beside her. "Kili, Dwalin, give me a hand!" She shouted and she soon felt the bodies of the two dwarves grab hold of her and together they lifted Thorin back onto the ledge.

When he was back onto the ledge Thorin looked at Phoenix and he noticed that Phoenix was holding one of her wrists, and though it was hard to see in the dark and through the rain, Thorin could make out a bloody injury. "What have you done?" He asked and looking at her wrist he noticed a cut from where she had hit her wrist on the rocks as she caught him.

"Here let us see lass." Dwalin advised.

"It's fine." Phoenix told them but she had no choice when Dwalin grabbed her wrist and as Kili and Dwalin started to wrap cloth around the wound, Thorin overheard his other dwarves.

"We almost lost our burglar." Bofur mused as he patted Bilbo on the back and no one seemed to notice Phoenix's injury.

"He's been lost ever since he left home." Thorin told them and be sounded annoyed. "He has no place amongst us."

"Uncle, can we argue about this another time?" Kili asked and Phoenix saw where he was looking, the mountain was moving!

"Stone Giants!" Bofur shouted. "Real stone Giants!"

"This isn't a thunder storm!" Balin realised. "It's a thunder battle!"

At his words the mountain that they were on suddenly started moving and across the gorge another giant got up and threw a boulder at the one that they were stood on. As the one they were on got hit, the ledge they were on started to separate and Fili tried to grab his younger brother but had to watch in despair as his brother, Phoenix and Dwalin were lifted away from them.

As they were moved through the air, Phoenix grabbed Kili and Dwalin and pressed them up against the mountain side, and they all held on as their giant started to collapse under the attack of the rock.

"Phoenix..." Kili started.

"Lad if you're about to confess your love to her, now would be the time." Dwalin told him.

"I am not." Kili started.

"There, get ready to jump!" Phoenix shouted and she nodded to the ledge they needed to jump on to. When they saw it, they both readied themselves and when the time came they threw themselves onto the ledge as the giant fell into the chasm below them, Kili landing on hard stone, whilst Dwalin found his landing to be significantly better and softer.

When Fili, Thorin and the rest of the company found them, they found Kili getting to his feet as Dwalin sat up and rubbed his sore bones but no sign of Phoenix.

"Well that was a soft landing." Dwalin told them.

"Dwalin, you're crushing me." A voice coughed out from underneath Dwalin.

Dwalin then looked down and saw that he was actually sitting on top of Phoenix and he abruptly got himself to his feet before he pulled her to hers.

"Are you all alright?" Thorin asked looking his nephew over.

"We are fine." Dwalin told him. "No c'mon let's get out off of this cursed mountain."

They started moving and soon they found a cave and after a quick search by Dwalin and Phoenix they deemed it safe to sleep in.

"Right let's get a fire goin'" Gloin told them as he put down the firewood he had carried. "Phoenix, could you lend a flame?"

"No, no fires get some sleep we leave at first light." Thorin told him as he walked through the crowd of dwarves.

"The plan was to meet Gandalf here." Balin informed him as he rolled out his sleeping mat.

"Plans change." Thorin told he and he threw his sleeping mat and blanket into a corner and he moved to settle down for some sleep as did the rest of his kin. "Bofur take first watch."

The tired dwarf nodded and picked up his weapons moving to sit on a rock near the entrance. Phoenix watched as everyone slowly fell asleep and she found both Kili and Fili had settled their sleeping mats next to her looking for the warmth that was starting to radiate from her skin as her gift attempted to dry herself.

As everyone around her fell asleep, she looked over at Thorin and she found his eyes on her.

"Are you alright?" She mouthed to him.

Thorin somehow understood what she had asked and he nodded in response, before he gestured for her to lay back and sleep, and that was what she did, a soft smile on her lips and soon she too fell asleep feeling Thorin's gaze on her as she did so. Thorin fell asleep not long after, but he was woken up again later in the morning to find Bilbo and Bofur talking and the Hobbit looked like he was abandoning them.

"Oh I get it you're homesick." Bofur whispered to the Hobbit. "I understand."

"No you don't understand." Bilbo whispered. "You're dwarves you're used to all of this, the trekking miles, not belonging anywhere." He stopped when he saw the sadness in Bofur's eyes and he sighed.

"Look I'm sorry..."

"No you're right, we don't belong anywhere." Bofur told him.

"Bofur I'm sorry." Bilbo sighed. "You're right I miss my box."

Thorin felt a small feeling of guilt as he listened to the pair of them and he sighed quietly to himself before he heard Bofur. Bofur had been smiling softly before he looked down at the sword attached to Bilbo's waist. "What's that?" He asked and Bilbo pulled out the sword to notice that the blade was glowing blue.

"Oh no..."

Thorin suddenly looked at the ground and noticed that the rocks were moving away from each other. But before he could warn the others they were all suddenly falling and eventually they hit hard wooden material with a thud. As they scrambled to their feet they were suddenly ambushed by Goblins who took their weapons and suddenly dragged them away, throwing them in front of a fat and ugly creature - the Goblin King.

Thorin looked around at all of his company and he smiled slightly in relief when he saw that his nephews were unharmed and looking at the large and grotesque goblin in front of them with hatred and then he saw that Phoenix was also unharmed and it almost made him beam in happiness until he heard a goblin inform the King of something, whatever it was obviously made his rejoice as he clapped his hands with glee, before he stood up and using the goblins on the floor in front of him, he walked down from his throne.

"You have a maiden in your midst." He crowed gleefully. "Bring her forth!"

Suddenly there was bustling and Thorin watched as the goblins threw Phoenix to land on the floor in front of the King.

"Well well, we've heard a lot about you whores child." The goblin told her and Phoenix kept her head bowed, eyes trained to watch the floor.

"Leave her alone!" Thorin heard Kili shout as he struggled to get to Phoenix.

"Looks like you have someone who wishes to love you whore." The goblin told her as he used his staff to tilts Phoenix's head up to look at him.

"Looks like you're little friends didn't ruin you when they had the chance." He sneered. "Oh well looks like the task has been left to me, and you're little friends can watch."

"No!" Thorin shouted as the Goblin King kicked Phoenix to the floor and he knew exactly what he planned to do as the goblins pinned her to the floor.

"Well who do we have here?" He watched as Thorin walked over, helping Phoenix to her feet and he kept his arms around her to steady her.

"Thorin Oakenshield." The Goblin laughed. "King under the mountain, but wait I forgot you don't have a mountain, do you?" He crowed. "So you're the king of...well...nothing, you're nobody, really."

Phoenix felt Thorin's grip on her tighten in anger but she gently rested her hand over his chest.

"Don't listen to him." She told him, glancing back at his fellow dwarves. "There is a knife in the waistband of my pants."

Thorin glanced at her before he gave her a swift and short nod before he reached for the knife she had told him about. As he reached one of the goblins grabbed his sword from the pile that was their weapons and as they pulled it out of its holster they screamed and threw it back down on the floor causing the King to jolt away and try and climb up the ladder of goblins to his throne away from the sword.

"The goblin cleaver!" He shouted in terror. "Whip them!" He suddenly ordered. "Bring out the bone crusher! The bone mangler!"

At his orders the company was whipped with whips as thick as branches, forcing them all to their knees.

As the whipping continued, the King started to sing a strange yet oddly catchy song at a volume well beyond reasonable.

 _Bones will be shattered, necks will be wrung_

 _You'll be beaten and battered, from racks you'll be wrung_

 _You will die down here and never be found_

 _Down in the deep of goblin town_

Suddenly he stopped singing and he looked right at Phoenix before he spoke again.

"You will be an interesting one, after all, your life span is never ending, who knows, you might not even die from what I'm going to do to you." He told her, using his sceptre to lift Phoenix's head up to look at him. "The Whore's child gets tortured first!" He suddenly shouted.

As the dwarves suddenly started to holler and tried to stop the goblins as they dragged Phoenix towards the Goblin King, there was a flash of light and Gandalf stood before the King, stopping him from reaching Phoenix.

"This stops here!" Gandalf shouted.

"Who are you to give me orders? What power do you possess?" the Goblin King ordered, before he stopped and gave a scream as Gandalf's sword sliced his stomach and face. "Yep that'll do it."

They all watched as the Goblin King fell from the throne and Gandalf looked at them.

"What are you waiting for, fight!" He shouted at them and everyone grabbed their weapons and packs before they started to cut down the onslaught of goblins that came at them. When their way was clear they were suddenly running, slashing at everything in their path to try and get away from the quickly advancing goblins. Gandalf and Phoenix seemed to be moving as one of they both cut down numerous goblins as the group made their way along the wooden paths towards the ground. The dwarves fought like men possessed, cutting down Goblin after goblin racing each other to get out. Suddenly they stopped with no more paths to follow and they looked at each other as the goblins started closing in on them.

"What do we do?" Gloin shouted.

"Hold onto something." Phoenix shouted to them and they watched as she moved her hands away from her body and suddenly there was sizzling sounds coming from around them and then something snapped and they were falling.

With a crash they landed on the rocky floor underneath everything at the very base of the mountain and just as Phoenix and Gandalf got off there was a shattering sound and the body of the Goblin King suddenly landed on the dwarves much to their dismay as they shouted and hollered. Phoenix helped to pull each one of them out and as she got Thorin out, both of them smiling at their fluttering touch, they looked up.

"We need to move." Phoenix told him and Thorin saw the wave of goblins coming their way.

"Only daylight will be able to save us now, run!" Gandalf told them and they were all running towards the exit. They kept running even when they got outside, only stopping for breath once they reached the edges of a cliff. When they had stopped running Thorin made his way to Phoenix's side and he took her hand in his, his eyes full of concern and looking up at her she mirrored his expression perfectly but before he could ask her anything Gandalf spoke.

"Where is your hobbit?" He asked and everyone looked around unable to find the small hobbit.

"Nori had him last!" Bofur shouted.

"Don't look at me!" Nori interjected.

"Well when did you last see him?" Gandalf asked.

"Right before those things grabbed us." Nori told him.

"Our hobbit is gone." Thorin told them. "He has done nothing but miss his little box since he left the Shire." He growled and he failed to notice Phoenix look up, her eyes darting around for a sound.

"No." Everyone looked at the Hobbit who suddenly seemed to appear in front of them. "I'm still here."

Everyone looked at him in surprise except for Phoenix who was trying to get Thorin's attention but he kept brushing her off.

"Right, now he's back." Gandalf told them. "Let us move on."

"Why did you come back?" Thorin asked.

"What does it matter?" Gandalf asked, and he sounded to be impatient right now.

"It matters." Thorin told him and the way he spoke left no room for argument, before he looked at Bilbo. "Why did you come back?"

"Because you are right," Bilbo told him. "I miss the Shire, my box, my home, but that's the reason that I had to come back, because you don't have one." He told them. "A home."

This seemed to pacify Thorin who eventually gave in to the tapping on his shoulder from Phoenix and they all looked at her and noticed that she was almost white in the face.

"Phoenix what is it?" Thorin asked.

"Wargs." She was staring straight back up the hill they had run down and even though none of the others could see what she had seen they heard the ghoulish howl that came afterwards.

"Out of the frying pan..." Thorin started.

"And into the fire..." Gandalf finished. "Run!" He shouted and they were all running again. They soon stopped as the only place that they could get to was the edge of the cliff that they had come onto. They were trapped and in the dying light of day they didn't know what to do.

"Climb the trees!" Phoenix shouted and they all looked at her like she was mad, but hearing the ever growing call of the wargs had them scampering up the trees like squirrels.

Phoenix and Gandalf watched as the dwarves climbed up into the trees and soon the only one left on the ground was Bilbo who had gotten his sword stuck in the head of a warg that had tried to attack him.

"Bilbo, hurry up!" Gandalf shouted down to him and Bilbo tried to climb the tree but kept slipping back down and in his desperation he did not notice that someone was reaching down for him. Suddenly Phoenix had her legs over the branch that she had been stood on and she had swooped down and picked Bilbo up and lifted him up onto the branch and together the two started climbing as wargs jumped at the tree. With each hit of the wolves, the tree started to strain and Phoenix felt it start to give way. Quickly looking up into the tree at the other Dwarves she grabbed Bilbo's shoulder.

"We need to jump." She told him.

"Um, to where exactly?" Bilbo asked.

"The next tree." She told him and as the tree they were stood on started to cave in she and Bilbo threw themselves onto the tree opposite along with the other dwarves. They clung to the branches for dear life as the wargs jumped at the tree trying to tear it down.

Phoenix helped Bilbo to climb the tree to keep away from the growling wargs who were eagerly trying to reach the group. As she pushed Bilbo onto a higher branch, her own branch started to give and just as she felt it collapse a strong grip grabbed her and she looked up see the concerned and worried face that belonged to Kili and she nodded in thanks before they worked together to pull Phoenix back up onto his branch. When they were safe on his branch Phoenix looked around for the other dwarves and she found all of them scattered amongst the branches like baubles on a Christmas tree. Suddenly their tree started to break and Phoenix pushed Kili against the trunk of the tree so at least he would be safe she reached up for a branch but ended up finding pine cones. Suddenly these small wooden cones gave her an idea and she looked up at Gandalf.

"Gandalf, pine cones!" She shouted as loud as she could and she saw the wizard register what she had said before he also grabbed some pine cones and he suddenly had them all aflame, dropping them down to the dwarves near them.

"Kili." Phoenix passed him the cone that she had already set alight and she got another one for Bilbo who was clinging to their branch and she gave another to Dwalin, before she got her own. All of the dwarves seemed confused as to what to do with them, so throwing her arm back as much as possible, Phoenix hurled the pine cone at the wargs below, the flames causing a barrier that the wargs did not dare cross. Soon the dwarves got the idea as Phoenix and Bilbo started hitting wargs with their pine cones, watching some catch fire and others back away. Soon the fire died away and wargs continued to jump at the tree and suddenly the tree caved, all occupants clinging onto their branches for dear life as the tree toppled. Phoenix watched as Ori started to slip from the branch and before she could grab him, he fell, yet managed to cling onto his brother Dori's leg and Gandalf set about helping the pair, but soon her attention was elsewhere, out of the smoke, stood a sight that Phoenix knew too well - Azog the Defiler! He rode on the back of a large white warg that had a face that only a mother could love. Suddenly she saw movement from the corner of her eye and what she saw made her blood freeze. Thorin was back on his feet, his sword in one hand, the other holding an oaken branch as his shield, there was a look in eyes of crazed hatred and it almost scared her. She watched as Thorin started walking towards he white Orc and she was too paralysed to move until she saw him break into a run.

"Thorin!" She screamed. "Thorin stop!"

Her scream alerted the other dwarves and they all watched their King run into battle alone, sword raised and oaken branch ready as his only defence.

Kili and Fili were trying their hardest to throw themselves back up to their feet in order to go to the aid of their uncle, and so was Dwalin. Through the sound of metal hitting together, they all looked up just in time to see the warg that Azog was riding grab Thorin in its jaw and shake him around like a ragdoll and suddenly threw him back down close to the edge.

"No!" Balin shouted as Thorin did not get back up to his feet.

Quickening her pace, Phoenix got out of the mess of tree but as she helped Dwalin pull himself free she saw the Hobbit run at the Orc that was about to take off Thorin's head.

"Phoenix lass, help him!" Dwalin shouted to her and Phoenix abandoned her aid for the dwarf and she pulled out an arrow and drew her bow waiting a second for the warg to get closer to Bilbo and she let the arrow fly straight into the wargs eye, killing it instantly. With a snarl the Orc riding it advanced towards her, its weapon shingling the light of the Flames that danced around them and Phoenix walked towards him her own weapon shining as she held both of her swords tight. Only one warrior would leave the battle this night.

"Kurv dagalush!" The White Orc spat at her and this seemed to ignite something in Phoenix and suddenly the Orc in front of her had been beheaded and she was stood between Bilbo and the White Orc her swords held to fight.

"You will not touch them." She told the Orc who laughed at her.

"Lat nar orca katu!" He snarled. "Vok vadokan!"

Phoenix looked at Bilbo. "Stay with him." When the hobbit nodded she threw herself at the Orc, knocking him off his warg and when the warg went for her, she drove a sword into its skull. With his warg dead, Azog unleashed his fury upon Phoenix and as both of them threw each other around, sounds of breaking bones echoing around the clearing, the dwarves tried to get up. Eventually only Fili, Kili, Gloin and Dwalin could get to their feet and they ran at the Orc army their weapons held high. As everyone fought, none of them noticed a swarm coming towards them, until there were screams and some of the dwarves as they were suddenly pulled from the trees. Phoenix was one of the last to get picked up as she watched Azog and his followers retreat away into the forest, and she gave a short scream as she was picked up from the ground and suddenly dropped from a great height. However, she stopped when she landed on something soft and looking down, she found her hands caught in feathers, and she smiled to herself – they were eagle feathers. The eagles had come to their aid at last. However, the relief she felt was short lived as she heard the curse of Azog's voice in the distance. He wanted Thorin and the Line of Durin vanquished and unless she done something about it, he would have his way. But there was no way she was going to let him get her lover or her friends, not even if it took her last breath.

 **Translations**

Kurv dagalush : Whore's imp

Lat nar orca katu : You have no power here

Vok vadokan : Dwarf is dead


	11. Chapter 11

**The song used in this chapter is the theme song of Lothlorien, if you wish to listen to it whilst you're reading.**

Creatures of all shapes and sizes

Phoenix sat up to the feeling of the morning sun as it broke the horizon of the mountain range around them. The soft feathers of the eagle that she had been riding were a comfort to her.

"Hantalë tye, nín mellon uin menel." Phoenix whispered against the soft feathers, before she set about looking either side of her and she found most of the dwarves accounted for, the Hobbit and Gandalf were also accounted for, but there was one person that she could not see – Thorin! Sitting upright, she looked through the mass of eagles for her dwarf, and she suddenly heard one of his nephews shouting.

"Thorin!" Fili shouted and she looked over to see both Fili and Kili on the back of one eagle and they were looking over at the lead eagle that held a lifeless Thorin in its talons. Phoenix feared the worst and she was one of the first to his side once the eagles had let them all down onto a hill. Soon she felt Gandalf join her and she watched as he moved a hand in front of Thorin's face, before Thorin suddenly jolted awake.

As he got to his feet, the dwarves all crowded around him, leaving Phoenix stood on her feet next to Bilbo as they all showed their appreciation for Thorin surviving.

"Where is the hobbit?" Thorin suddenly asked.

"Bilbo is fine Thorin, he's right there, next to your beloved." Gandalf told he and Thorin turned to face Bilbo and Phoenix and he walked over and immediately pulled Bilbo into a hug. Phoenix watched in slight amazement and she stood beside Gandalf; however her amazement soon turned to dread as Thorin spoke.

"Did I not tell you that you have no place amongst us?" Thorin asked the hobbit who looked too scared to answer him. "I have never been so wrong." Thorin told him happily, pulling him closer again into another hug.

Phoenix watched as all of the dwarves suddenly gravitated towards Thorin and the Hobbit and she soon saw what they were looking at, in the distance, there stood a single mountain, the lonely mountain and within its structure lay Erebor. Their quest was nearly over!

They were stood there for a while, until it grew brighter and tiredness started to overtake the dwarves, after all, they had spent most if not all of the night trying to stop themselves falling to their deaths as the Wargs and Azog tried to kill them.

"We should rest." Gloin told them.

"No, we need to keep moving, Azog will find us soon enough." Phoenix told him.

Everyone looked at her, her tone had suddenly turned short and urgent, and this was something that they certainly were not used to with Phoenix.

"Lass, what's the matter?" Balin asked.

"Phoenix, they need to rest." Thorin told her playfully but his attitude suddenly got him a slap across the face and everyone looked at the couple in surprise and they saw a scared anger in Phoenix's eyes.

"Don't you dare start that with me," She told him. "You could have died doing what you did." She looked furious, so much that her hands had gained a red glow of heat around them.

"Thorin, you might want to back off a bit." Gandalf told him and Thorin took his advice stepping back.

"Phoenix, I'm so sorry." He told her. "I wasn't thinking and I hope that you can forgive me."

"You could have died." She told him and the glow from her hands subsided.

"I'm sorry." Thorin told her and he did look sorry.

Eventually Phoenix calmed down enough for him to get closer and he took her face in his hands. "I wouldn't leave you without a choice."

"Do you promise?" She asked.

"I promise." He told her.

Smiling up at him, the two shared a loving kiss, which left the other dwarves, wizard and Hobbit looking rather awkward.

Eventually they broke apart and they all grabbed what they could of their weapons and they started to make their way through the wilderness in the direction of the Lonely Mountain. As they walked, they came across a stream which looked like a good enough place to set up camp for the night, but with nothing to use, that was getting difficult.

"Get some quick rest, and then we need to continue." Thorin told them.

Everyone set themselves down and within minutes some of them were asleep, even Fili and Kili had fallen asleep against a rock, side by side, hands on their weapons, just in case. Thorin sat on a rock, overlooking what was around them and soon he felt something press against his arm and he found Phoenix sat next to him.

"Just so you know," She told him after a few minutes silence. "If you ever do anything like what you did back there again, I will kill you myself."

"That is well noted." He promised her.

"Good." She told him as she felt his arms around her and she was pulled almost onto his lap. "I don't know what I would do if something happened to you." She told him.

"You would probably be severely pissed off that after months of keeping an eye on me, it's all gone to waste." Thorin told her.

"That is true." She smiled softly.

"Mind if I join the pair of you?" The heard Gandalf ask and the pair looked at him.

"Take a seat." Thorin told him.

"We should continue moving." Gandalf told them.

"Gandalf, there is no danger here; we will be alright for an hour longer." Thorin told them, however there was suddenly a howling sound coming from behind them.

"Thorin, say that again." Phoenix told them and as the howling continued, the dwarves and Hobbit around them started to wake.

"Oh no..." Bombur told them.

"Not again." Fili continued.

"Run!" Phoenix shouted and suddenly they were all running, moving along grasslands and over rocks and through rivers, they did not stop until they got to a small patch of forest where the sounds of the hounds had died down.

"Do you think we've outrun them?" Nori asked.

"Not a chance." Phoenix told them and she sounded out of breath, like many of them did, and she suddenly tensed as there was a further howl from the wargs and then there was another sound, a fierce growling.

"Gandalf?" Phoenix asked.

"Yes Phoenix?" Gandalf asked, regaining his breath.

"Where are we?" She asked.

"You know where." Gandalf told her.

"Oh shit, run." She told them.

"Lass, some of us can't run as long as you can." Bombur choked.

"Bombur, if you don't run then you certainly are dead." Phoenix told him and as the growling started up again, they all ran and this time, Bombur started running and he ran straight past the other dwarves and Bilbo until he was almost running alongside Phoenix and Gandalf.

However, the dwarves watched as Phoenix stopped running and she stood her ground ahead of everyone and they turned around to see Thorin at her side, both of them with their weapons drawn, ready to defend their company. Realising that they could not help them, they ran into what resembled a garden and towards a house, coming up against a closed door.

"Open the door!" Kili shouted, getting an arrow ready just in case and they kept trying to push the door open.

"Open it!" Fili shouted and he was pushed out of the way by Thorin who lifted the latch on the door and they all pushed themselves inside before they turned around and found Phoenix was still out there.

"Phoenix, run!" Gandalf shouted and with that, Phoenix started running, just as a large black bear burst from the trees ahead of her and chased her.

"Come on lass!" Dwalin yelled.

"Run Phoenix!" Ori shouted.

Eventually Phoenix ran straight into the building that they were in and she threw herself against the door as many of the dwarves did, trying to fight against the bear that was forcing its way in. When it was gone and the door was safely shut, the dwarves looked around, making sure they were all there.

"What was that?" Bilbo asked.

"That is our host." Gandalf told them.

"That is not natural, none of it." Nori shouted.

"It is some sort of witch's spell." Dori added.

"He is under no spell but his own." Gandalf told them. "Beorn is a skin changer, a man by many, a bear by few."

Phoenix sat herself on a bale of hay. "You should all get some sleep." She told them. "We will need it tomorrow."

The dwarves all grumbled between themselves, before Phoenix was left watching them all try and sleep as the night closed in, but it proved impossible for them, whilst she settled beside Thorin happily.

"Lass, could you possibly sing us a song?" Bombur asked.

"Aye, one of your Elvish songs should put us right to sleep." Dwalin told her from where he lay in the corner.

Phoenix sighed and she looked up at Thorin who simply shrugged and she thought of a song to put them to sleep. "There is one song that could put you all to sleep."

"What's it called lass?" Balin asked.

"Lothlórien." Phoenix told them and Gandalf perked up as he heard her.

"The place of the forest witch?" Gloin growled.

"That 'forest witch' is my adopted father's mother." Phoenix told them and it silenced the dwarves so she started to sing.

 _Man amen toltha_

 _I dann hen morn_

 _Si dannatha nauva_

 _Melmemma nóren sina_

 _Nur ala ëaro nur_

 _Ela i cá_

 _Nenya sina_

 _Corma úhátima_

 _I haryanye_

By the end, all of the dwarves, even Thorin, who had fought to stay awake longer, and the Hobbit and wizard were asleep, so Phoenix decided to join them in sleep also.

She was awoken the next morning, by the soft sound of thudding. Looking at the cracks in the walls, she saw that it was only just becoming dawn, so she got up as carefully as she could and walked towards the door. Her movements were calculated and silent so that she did not awake any of them up and she slipped outside, closing the door as silently as possible. Walking a small bit away from the building, she found a man lying on the grass, hair a mess; blood and dirt covering his body and Phoenix took pity on him. Looking around, she found a large sheet hanging on a wooden stand, so she dragged it off and carried it over to the man on the ground. His back was to her, but she knew who it was and she draped the sheet over him.

"It's alright now, I've got you Beorn." She told him.

"I thought I wouldn't see you again." Beorn told her and Phoenix smiled weakly.

"I'll always be here when you need me." She told him quietly and she sat behind him. As it got lighter, Beorn went inside his home to wash and dress and when he came back out, the pair moved silently towards a pile of wood and set into a rhythm of Phoenix putting the blocks of wood on the stump to be chopped and Beorn cutting them up with his axe.

"What brings you out here?" He asked.

"My company." Phoenix told him.

"There is more than just a company here." Beorn told her. "You have someone you love in this company, don't you?"

Phoenix looked up at him and she looked to be about to protest, but he beat her to it.

"I have the senses of an animal Phoenix; you cannot hide the fact that you are attracted to one of your company." Beorn told her.

"I was not going to deny it." She told him. "You are right, I do feel an attraction to one of my comrades, but they all, well most think of me as family."

"Maybe they do." Beorn told her. "What are you all doing here?" He asked.

"Travelling to the mountains." She told him. "We were ambushed by orcs." Phoenix went on to explain most of the story to him.

Meanwhile, as Phoenix explained their story, the dwarves, hobbit and wizard were inside the barn, discussing what they needed to do in order to not alarm Beorn.

"Um, where's Phoenix?" Dori asked.

"The lass have left us." Gloin growled.

"No she hasn't, she's outside, and can you not hear her laughter?" Gandalf asked and as they went silent, surely enough, they could hear the sounds of Phoenix's laughter and the chopping of wood and that seemed to please everyone.

"I still think that we should slip out the back way, and make a run for it." Nori told them, before Dwalin caught his front in his fist.

"I am not running from anyone or anything." Dwalin hissed.

"There is no use arguing." Gandalf told him. "We cannot get through the wilderness without Beorn's help." He told them. "Anyway, Phoenix is outside with him and she is fine." He pointed out and the dwarves seemed satisfied with that.

"Right, I feel that I should warn you that our host is not very fond of dwarf." Gandalf told the group and they all looked at each other. "So, what we need to do is come out in pairs." He told them pointedly. "But Bombur, my dear fellow, you count as two."

Everyone snickered as they looked at Bombur, before Gandalf shushed them. "Do and say nothing other than your name, and come out two at a time, slowly."

The dwarves all nodded, before they watched as Gandalf walked out of the barn with the hobbit that was shaking with his nerves. As they walked towards him, Bilbo noticed that with every swing of the axe, Gandalf got more and more nervous.

"You're nervous." He observed.

"Nervous," Gandalf asked. "What nonsense."

"Ah Gandalf, Bilbo, come and meet Beorn." Phoenix shouted over and she waved them over with her hand. At her voice, Beorn stopped his work and looked at the approaching pair and Bilbo wondered as he looked him over.

"Morning." Gandalf told him.

"Who are you?" Beorn asked, looking at the pair.

"I am Gandalf, Gandalf the Grey." Gandalf told him.

"Never heard of him." Beorn told him.

"Maybe you have heard of my friend, Radagast the Brown, he resides in the southern borders of Mirkwood." Gandalf told him and Phoenix saw that Gandalf was getting nervous.

"What do you want?" Beorn asked.

"To thank you for your hospitality, after all, you may have realised that we took refuge in your lodging last night." Gandalf told him and suddenly Beorn's eyes focused upon the tiny hobbit that was almost hidden behind Gandalf.

"Who is this little fellow?" Beorn asked, and as Bilbo stepped out from behind the wizard, Phoenix got to her feet, her hands on Beorn's axe as he lifted it.

"Put it down." She told him. "He is a hobbit."

This seemed to pacify Beorn after a few minutes and he put down the axe, assessing Bilbo with eyes as colourful as the lamps that decorated Bilbo's own home.

"A Halfling, what are you doing here?" Beorn asked.

"We had a bit of trouble in the mountains, from Goblins." Gandalf told him.

"What did you go near Goblins for, a stupid thing to do," Beorn chided.

"You're quite right, but I can assure you, it was by accident." Gandalf continued.

Suddenly there was the sound of footsteps and everyone looked up to see Dwalin and Balin walking out of the lodge and Phoenix put her head in her hands.

"Beorn, meet my companions." Phoenix told him and she suddenly took the axe from him, walking a distance away with it for safety measures.

"Dwalin and Balin." Phoenix told him, and she watched as others came out. "Oin and Gloin." She waited a bit longer. "Ori and Dori." She kept walking backwards as Beorn advanced on her. "Fili and Kili." She then looked from Beorn, who was advancing on her and then back at the door. "And Bifur, Bofur, Nori and Bombur." Beorn noticed the look in Phoenix's eyes flicker to love and he looked back at the lodge just in time to see Thorin walk out.

"And Thorin." Gandalf finished.

"Give me ma axe, girl." Beorn growled.

"Bite me." Phoenix told him.

"Good idea." He told her and as Beorn went to grab her, something between them suddenly ignited and Phoenix's phoenix bird suddenly appeared and that put Beorn off immediately. "You promised that you would never do that."

"I'm sorry, but you had me backed into a corner, what else was I supposed to do?" Phoenix asked him. "But you're still not getting your axe back."

Beorn growled at her, before he led them all into his house where the dwarves and hobbit sat around a table as Gandalf and Phoenix sat in the corner, once Phoenix had gotten rid of the axe. The pair of them watched as the dwarves and hobbit were handed mugs that were almost the same size as the hobbit himself and Beorn filled them up with a frothy drink for them all.

"Phoenix." Beorn spoke and everyone watched as he threw an apple towards her and as Phoenix caught it, it was forced through a spray of fire, but still came out edible on the other side and Phoenix caught it in her hands.

"Thanks." She smiled and she took a bite out of it.

The dwarves all seemed to converse amongst themselves as Beorn handed a smaller cup to the hobbit and then one each to Gandalf and Phoenix who took it gratefully.

They conversed between themselves, trying to be quiet, before Bofur suddenly walked over to Phoenix and sat beside her.

"Lass, I have a question." Bofur asked.

"What's the question?" She asked him, taking a sip of her drink.

"Why do we never see you take your gloves off?" Bofur asked, looking at her hands which were covered with leather gloves that looked to be well worn and almost comfortable. His question surprised Phoenix, as she had been wearing them or some version of them throughout their journey and they were only brought up now.

"It's because of my ability, my hands are scarred." She told him.

"Can I see?" He asked.

Phoenix nodded and she slid off her gloves, holding her hands out to him and Bofur looked almost panicked at the state of her hands. They looked almost deformed, the skin was scarred beyond belief, and the skin was gray in colour with scars criss-crossing across the skin.

"Lass, how can this possibly happen?" Bofur asked.

"It's only from when I don't have my gloves on and use my fire." She told him. "They aren't actually that bad."

"Does it hurt?" He asked.

"Not really, I'm used to it all now." She told him.

Before Bofur could ask anything else, Thorin broke in and told him his cousin wanted him, so Thorin soon took his place next to Phoenix and he slid his hand into hers and he seemed surprised by how warm her hands were.

"Are they always this warm?" Thorin asked randomly.

She nodded. "Yes." She smiled and she gently brushed a hand down his left cheek.

"Come outside with me?" He asked and when she nodded, they both walked outside together.

When they were gone, Beorn looked over at Gandalf and he seemed to be quite confused.

"She is in love with the king?" He asked.

"She is." Gandalf nodded.

"Does he feel the same?" Beorn asked and the dwarves all looked at him and they saw how serious he looked.

"He does, she is safe with him Beorn, so you don't have to worry." Gandalf told him.

Beorn nodded and this seemed to pacify him, before he went to get the dwarves some food as well as some more drink. When they were all fed and had enough drink, Bilbo watched as the giant walked over to a window and looked out. The small hobbit wondered what the giant of both man and beast could be thinking.

Meanwhile, outside, Phoenix and Thorin had walked over to a paddock where there were numerous ponies all congregated inside. Thorin watched as Phoenix gave a whistle and she suddenly jumped clear over the fence, but at the whistle, the ponies all seemed to look at her in surprise. Some even came over for a scratch on their snouts which Phoenix happily gave.

"Have they met you before?" Thorin asked.

"No, I've not had the opportunity to meet any of them before." Phoenix told him. "But elves are good with many animals, be it a pony or a baby squirrel." She shrugged.

"They seem to like you." He noted and he watched as another pony trotted over to him and he took a step back.

Phoenix watched him. "It's alright Thorin, just pet him."

Thorin watched the pony that seemed happy to just be trying to reach the dwarf king by sticking it's snout through the fence. And Phoenix watched as Thorin done exactly as she said, and this seemed to keep the horse happy as it trotted away soon after.

"Was that all?" He asked.

"Looks like it." She told him with a laugh as she walked over to him.

"How long have you known, Beorn?" Thorin asked after they had lapsed into silence for a few minutes.

"About fifty-three years." She told him. "I knew his mother and father before him, and then met Beorn whilst he was a young adult." She looked at him and was surprised to see a hint of jealousy on his face.

"Why are you jealous?" She asked.

"I'm not jealous." Thorin told her. "Anyway, what is there to do around here?" He asked.

"We could have a go at sparring." She told him.

Thorin nodded. "That sounds like fun, maybe you could show me how to fight like an elf."

"And maybe you could show me how to fight like a dwarf." She told him playfully and the pair walked over to a field that was still in view of Beorn's house.

As the pair of them got into a stance, Phoenix pulled out both of her swords as Thorin held onto his own sword, looking at the two, Thorin's choice of weapon was much thicker and heavier looking that what Phoenix held, he wondered whether he was going to end up breaking hers into two. They both looked at each other and they seemed almost transfixed on how to bring the other down. However, that was not the case when they were fighting, Phoenix's reactions were much slower with Thorin, so that she could give him time to block her attacks and hold her off whenever he could. Every so often, Phoenix was pushed to the floor by Thorin, but she would always get back up and almost throw him onto the floor and this was how their sparring ended, the pair of them rolling around the floor trying to pin the other down, and eventually Thorin won as he ended up straddling Phoenix's stomach, his hands pinning hers down on the floor.

"I win." He told her playfully.

"I can see that." She told him with a smile. "But if you don't mind, you're heavy."

With that, Thorin rolled off her to lie beside her and they lay together side by side in the grass, watching the sky above them.

"I believe that we need to talk."

The voice made them both jolt into a sitting position and they both looked over at the speaker who turned out to be Beorn and he stood with Gandalf and Dwalin.

"Yes, we do need to talk." Thorin told him with a nod as he got to his feet and he picked up his discarded sword, putting it back into his belt.

Phoenix stood up as the two talked and she looked at Gandalf and Dwalin who were joining in the conversation every once in a while. However, as they talked, Bilbo suddenly found himself beside her.

"Phoenix..." Bilbo started.

"Yes Bilbo?" She asked.

"How are you able to stand so still and watch Thorin so intently?" He asked.

Phoenix just looked at him silently for a few minutes before she gave him a soft smile. "I take it that you have never been in love little hobbit?" She asked.

"No, no one had caught my eye as of yet." Bilbo told her.

"Well, when someone does catch your eye, you will know how easy it is to see someone who you value as your world, do the things that they do and sometimes you will find yourself watching them as they go about their day and you will never tire of watching them simply know that you're there." She told him as her eyes followed Thorin's every movement.

Bilbo had never seen such love come from a person, as much as he had seen come from Phoenix and Thorin in the past few months of their journey, it encouraged him that there was still some good that could come from this. He had witnessed the stolen looks the pair gave each other, and the quick kisses that they had shared between each other, witnessed the tender touches that Thorin gave to Phoenix as they sat together by the fire, or lay next to each other as the other slept. He took pride in being allowed to witness these moments of pure love, but something about their relationship made him ponder...How Phoenix knew so much about Thorin.

"How could you love Thorin so much?" Bilbo suddenly asked and immediately mentally cursed his forwardness; however Phoenix seemed to know exactly what he meant.

"I saved his father, and in return for saving his life, he asked me to keep an eye on his oldest son, making sure that he remained alive and well." Phoenix told him. "I did as he asked, following Thorin whenever he left his people on a mission of sorts, I ensured his safety and I managed to stay silent and unknown for a long time, but soon I found myself falling for him."

"Did he ever find out it was you?" Bilbo asked.

"Not until you all came to my Valley." She told him. "Like hobbits, people of two worlds, like me can go unseen and unnoticed by many, it just depends on whether we want to be seen or not."

Bilbo smiled and they looked back at the group and they found Thorin walking over to them.

"What's the plan?" Phoenix asked him, extending a hand and Thorin's hand entwined itself with hers as if as an automatic response.

"Beorn has agreed to give us some ponies and a few supplies that will get us to the mountain." Thorin told her. "But we need to go through Mirkwood; will you be alright with that?" He asked.

Phoenix looked at him and she nodded slowly. "I will be."

Her promise put Thorin slightly at ease and he walked over to where Beorn had set up ponies for the dwarves and the hobbit, as well as two horses for Phoenix and Gandalf with packs of supplies for each of them. As the dwarves got themselves settled on a pony, Phoenix helped Bilbo to climb into the saddle of his one and she walked over to the horse that Beorn was guiding towards her.

"Be safe." Beorn told her quietly.

"I will be." She told him just as quietly and she took the horse's reigns from him, before she climbed onto the horse's saddle and made herself comfortable for the long ride to Mirkwood. They all looked back to see if everyone was ready, and they found Gandalf talking to Beorn.

"Gandalf, we need to get moving." Thorin called over and the wizard took his leave of the skin-changer and joined them on his own horse. When they were all together, they pushed their horses on through the forest and woodland. They all travelled in silence, with Thorin, Gandalf and Phoenix leading the way and they eventually stopped at the edge of Beorn's forest which led onto a clear meadow. Gandalf looked over at Phoenix who looked back at him, almost sensing what he was going to ask.

"I'll go on ahead, all of you stay here." She told him and when Gandalf reluctantly nodded, she urged her horse forward and they started moving tentatively across the plains.

As the horse carried on, Phoenix kept a hand on her bow just in case, but as she looked just over the edges of the trees behind her; she found a bear stood on a rock watching her intently. The mere sight of the bear was enough to make her smile, and as she quickly scoured the horizon for any sign on the orcs or goblins coming towards them, she deemed it safe for the rest of her company.

Looking back at them, Phoenix took her hand from her bow. "Okay, it's alright."

The rest of the company all looked at each other, before Thorin urged his pony on and soon the rest of his company followed and they all made their way across the bare plains towards the forest of Mirkwood.

 **Translation**

Hantalë tye, nín mellon uin menel : Thank you, my friend of the sky


	12. Chapter 12

A royal headache

They came to the boundary of Mirkwood in almost no time at all, and everyone looked over at Phoenix after Balin noticed that she seemed to shiver and she looked to be ill.

"Are you alright lass?" Balin asked as Phoenix slid down off her saddle and as soon as her feet touched the floor, she sank to her knees, a sudden weakness coming over her and Thorin ran over to her side.

"I bet it's this forest." Bilbo told them. "It feels sick."

Thorin and Balin both helped Phoenix back to her feet and Gandalf looked at her.

"My dear I think it best that you stay out here." Gandalf told her.

"I'm fine." She told him instantly.

"Phoenix, you're almost green in colour." Balin told her.

"Just sit here and rest." Thorin told her. "You can join us on the other side, no doubt you're the fastest rider, and you will beat us there anyway."

Phoenix obviously was not happy about the situation, but it was easy to see that she could say nothing against a bunch of dwarves, a hobbit and a wizard.

"Fine, but this is foolish and unnecessary." She told them.

"Maybe so, but we want to be sure that you're okay." Dwalin told her as they all sent their ponies back towards Beorn's home and they gathered their things.

"This is the realm of King Thranduil; most people now know it as Mirkwood." Gandalf told them. "This path will lead you through safely, but you must not leave it."

"What happens if we do?" Bilbo asked.

"You will never make it back out." Phoenix told them. "Mirkwood is a cursed place."

"Aye lass, it is cursed by the broken heart of a King." Gandalf told her.

"He has no heart." Phoenix told him and Thorin smirked slightly, before they all noticed that Gandalf was getting back on his horse.

"Are you not coming with us?" Bilbo asked him.

"Alas, no, I have business elsewhere." He looked at Phoenix as he spoke and she seemed to understand. "I will meet you all at Erebor." Gandalf told them as he rode off. "Follow the path!" He shouted back before he was gone.

When he was gone, Thorin looked back at the dwarves and Hobbit. "Come on, let's get going." He told them and all of the dwarves walked towards the forest, except for him and the hobbit that walked to Phoenix who was now sitting unhappily on the ground, waiting for the weakness to pass.

"Will you be alright on your own?" Thorin asked her.

"I'll be fine." She promised him. "I've survived for over two thousand years; a few more hours won't be any difference." She reminded him and as they shared a loving kiss, Bilbo moved his gaze away. As Thorin left to follow the dwarves, Bilbo looked at Phoenix.

"You need to be careful in that forest young hobbit, the dwarves can easily be lead astray, and you need to keep them on the path." Phoenix told him.

Bilbo nodded. "I will do my best."

Phoenix smiled. "You better run and catch up with them, and don't forget, I'll be keeping an eye on you all." She told him.

Bilbo nodded and he ran back to join the dwarves, leaving Phoenix on her own. When she was fully alone, Phoenix looked around at the landscape, this did not feel right. She knew that Thranduil was having trouble, but did he really intend to let his kingdom fall to ruin? Would her dwarves be safe in the forest? The thought of not knowing did not help her at all; she was worried for her lover and her friends. However, her train of thought was broken as she felt the thundering of footsteps and she quickly got to her feet and she soon saw a mass coming straight towards the forest, and straight towards her! It was a legion of orcs, so quickly she took her weapons from the horse's saddle and she looked at him.

"Díheno nin, mellon nín." She told the horse, before she hit it's behind and she watched the horse ride off, and whilst the orcs were distracted by the horse, Phoenix bolted, going through the forest as fast as her legs could carry her. When weakness suddenly washed over her like a tidal wave, she climbed up into a tree, remaining hidden as orcs charged under her, moving through the forest. She watched them from the tree and when they were gone, she slid down, and had to use the tree for support, before she looked down at her cloak and she noticed that her face covering was still attached to her cloak, so she pulled up her hood and moved the face covering over her mouth and nose and surely enough, the weakness faded by a large amount.

"Okay, cloak stays on." She told herself and she started tracking the orcs through the forest, hoping that her dwarves had not come by them.

Meanwhile, in the depths of Mirkwood, the dwarves and hobbit had done exactly what they said that they wouldn't do – they had strayed from the path! And now they were being picked off by spiders! Before they knew it, they were all wrapped in spider webbing and most of them could not believe it, they were about to die as spider food...what on earth was going on? However, they all suddenly felt themselves falling and suddenly their bonds were cut. Looking around, Dwalin noticed that someone was missing – Bilbo!

"Where's the hobbit?" Dwalin shouted.

"Bilbo?" The others called.

"I'm up here!" Bilbo shouted, and they all looked up just in time to see a spider jump on the hobbit and as he stabbed it with his sword, they both fell towards the ground. From there, everything came as a blur to the group of dwarves, on Thorin's command; they all readied their weapons ready to fight, however as they were about to fight, they were suddenly surrounded by dead spiders and elves, who were holding their bows to them. Suddenly there was a cry from nearby and Fili recognised it immediately – Kili! He shouted for his brother and they found his brother almost being eaten alive by a giant spider, yet suddenly there was a flash of red and the surrounding spiders were dead and a she-elf stood before them. She fought with fluidness and strength, killing the one that had hold of Kili instantly.

"Throw me a weapon!" Kili shouted to her. "Quick!" He ushered as there was a spider coming straight for him.

"If you think that I'm giving you a weapon dwarf, you are mistaken!" She hissed and she suddenly threw her dagger straight at the spider and it lay dead at Kili's feet. Looking back at the dwarf, Kili was amazed to find her beautiful, her voice as soft as a summer's breeze, and he was frozen to the spot. He wished to hear her speak more, but he was not given the chance as they were all rounded up and searched, the weapons taken away as the leading elf, a tall blonde male, examined Thorin's sword.

"This is Orcrist, where did you get this?" The blonde demanded.

"It was given to me." Thorin told him simply, he was not about to tell them where he had really found it.

"So, not just a thief, but a liar as well," The blonde told him, before he moved on to some of the other dwarves and he was handed what looked like a closed memory box, and he opened it, revealing two pictures.

"Give that back, it's private." Gloin demanded.

"Who is this, your brother?" The blonde asked in spite as he looked at this first picture.

"That is my wife." Gloin told him and right now he was seething.

"And what is this strange, goblin mutant?" The blonde sneered, looking at the other.

"That's my wee lad, Gimli." Gloin told him, and he watched as the pictures were put back where they were gotten from, and Gloin sighed in relief.

"Take them to the palace dungeons." The blonde told the group of elves and soon all of the dwarves were led away.

"Thorin, where's Bilbo?" Fili hissed and Thorin glanced around as he was lead away, he was relieved when he did not see the hobbit as part of the group, but he was still worried when the hobbit could not be seen at all.

They were led towards the Elf kingdom and Thorin watched as the company were put into cells, before he was led on a different path and this one brought him to someone who he did not want to see – Thranduil. No love had been lost between the pair and that was obvious by the reception that was given as soon as Thorin was stood in front of him. It was cold and unwelcoming, only just hiding the swell of hatred towards each other.

"Well, Thorin Oakenshield, I did not think you would dare to cross into my lands." Thranduil spoke.

"It was not by my choice." Thorin growled.

"Ah, yes, you travel with quite a bunch of dwarves." Thranduil mused, getting up from his throne and walking down the steps so that he was on the same level ground as Thorin, even though the elf king stood head, shoulders and more above the dwarf king. "Some may imagine that a noble quest is at hand." Thranduil spoke again. "A quest to reclaim ones homeland and slay a dragon, to retrieve a stone so precious to you that you would risk the lives of yourself, your kin and the one you love just to retrieve it."

Thorin looked up at him with surprise, how did he know about Fili and Kili? More importantly, how did he know about his love for Phoenix?

"You do not think that I do not know about what goes on within the boundaries past my realm?" Thranduil asked and he had a sly smile on his face. "But I am willing to offer you my help in order for you to retrieve the stone that you desire."

"I'm listening." Thorin told him.

"I will offer you my help in exchange for what is mine, for there are jewels within that mountain that I too desire." Thranduil told him.

Thorin let one corner of his mouth turn upwards in an almost smirk as he looked at the elf before him.

"A favour for a favour?" Thorin asked to clarify.

"You have my word." Thranduil nodded.

"I would not trust your word alone, not until the end of all days is on us!" Thorin suddenly shouted, and he saw that this took the elf king by surprise, so he decided to continue. "You lack all honour! I have seen how you treat your friends, we came to you once, starving and homeless but you're turned your back on us! You turned away from the suffering of my people and the inferno that destroyed everything we had!" Thorin suddenly shouted. "May you die in dragon fire?"

"Do not talk to me of dragon fire; I know its wrath and ruin!" Thranduil sneered, his face suddenly showing evidence of being burnt away before he suddenly moved away from Thorin as if he himself was a hot flame.

"I warned your grandfather about what his greed would summon, and now I will ensure that you never see that mountain again!" He looked to his guards. "Take him to the cells."

However, he was just about to be dragged away, an elf ran up the steps and he looked at Thranduil, speaking in Elvish, but Thorin heard the name of his beloved and he stopped his struggling to listen.

"Nín hír, inyë gar sarch siniath, Phoenix thia an gar dandol an tye arthor." The guard told Thranduil who held a small spiteful smile.

"Well, she has come to free her lover no doubt." He smirked as he looked over to Thorin. "Take him away; we shall see if she can break him out now." Thorin struggled against the guards as they dragged him to the cells and he was thrown into a cell with Balin.

"So, how did it go?" He asked; his tone of voice as it would be if the pair of them was talking about the weather.

"Not very well." Thorin admitted, his tone mimicking Balin's. "But Phoenix has come into the forest; they think that she is on her way here."

"Surely the lass will be alright." Balin told him. "She's more skilled than we give her credit for."

"Aye, she is." Thorin nodded in agreement and he sighed, "But what would bring her into the forest that weakens her?" He asked, not expecting Balin to answer, and Balin knew this so he kept quiet as Thorin stood at their cell door, looking at the many cells outside of his own, and he hoped that Phoenix could get them out of here.

Meanwhile, Tauriel was walking past the cells, checking on the prisoners that they had and it only consisted of the dwarves that they had brought in today. When they had been put into their cells, she had gone to inform that King about what had happened in the forest, and she had been warned away from the prince, but right now, she had never given him much thought in a romantic kind of way, which is what the king had feared. After she had been given her warning, she had returned to her room to wash up for the celebratory feast of starlight that night. Yet as she was about to join the feast, she found herself walking down towards the cells. She walked past each one, until she got to the one with the young dark haired dwarf and he was flicking a stone in his hands.

"That stone in your hand, what is it?" She asked, hiding her curiosity with authority.

"It's a very special stone." Kili told her. "If anyone other than a dwarf reads these ruins, they will be forever cursed!" His voice took on a malice that Tauriel had to take a step back, and she was about to move on, before his voice caught her attention once again. "Or not, it all depends on whether you believe in that kind of thing." Kili told her and she looked at him with a small smile. "It's really just a token; my mother gave it to me so that I would remember my promise."

"What promise?" She asked curiously.

"That I would come back to her," He told her and he looked at the stone in his hand with fondness and amusement. "She thinks that I'm reckless."

"And are you?" The elf asked him.

"Nah." He told her and as if to relay his point, his threw the stone up into the air, but this time he failed to catch it and he rolled out of his cell and almost past Tauriel, but she stopped it with her foot just before it was about to go over the ledge and she picked it up to admire it in her hands.

"What's your name?" He asked her as he walked to the bars of his cage.

"Tauriel." She answered immediately, looking back at him as she handed him his stone back.

"My name is Kili." He told her with a smile, before he looked up towards the walkways above them to where the sound of music was coming from. "It sounds like quite a party up there."

"It is the feast of starlight." Tauriel told him. "All light is precious to the Eldar."

"I always thought that it was a cold light." Kili told her.

"It is memory." She told him and Kili worried that he had offended her, but her astonishment towards him was soon replaced with admiration and it made his heart swell. "It is precious and pure." She told him, before she looked back at him. "Much like this promise that you made."

Kili could not keep the smile from his face as he looked at her and he watched her sit on the steps next to his cell.

"I often walked there." She told him. "Out of the forest and up into the night, trying to imagine what it would be like to be as free as the stars."

"I saw a fire moon once." Kili told her and it was obvious that he was trying to impress her and Tauriel did look impressed.

"Tell me about it." She asked him.

Kili spent most of his night, telling the she-elf the story of how he had seen the fire moon whilst he and Fili had been travelling with a group to Gondor in order to offer trade to the city from Ered Luin. Tauriel seemed pretty impressed with everything that he said, but eventually she had to get back to the party, so she bid her farewells to Kili and she left the group. Not long after she left, did Bilbo turn up, carrying the jailer's keys and he let everyone out, before he led them to an escape route, in barrels down a river. However, they were soon stopped by the gate of the river being closed and they all packed up together, before they were suddenly attacked by an array of orcs! The dwarves were sitting ducks as Elves and Orcs fought all around them, and looking around things seemed to be falling in favour of the orcs, until Thorin and Balin, who were blocked up against the gate, saw a flash of black and suddenly extra arrows were flying through the air, taking down orcs that got too close to the dwarves. All of the dwarves smiled in relief as they noticed the hooded figure that fought for them.

"Go Phoenix!" Nori shouted as he watched Phoenix cut down an orc with her swords, before she hit two more with an arrow. Thorin's heart was in his mouth as he watched her, she was so fluid, managing to avoid attacks whilst hitting all of her targets, and he then heard Fili's voice.

"Kili!" Fili shouted, his voice full of concern and Thorin turned just in time to see his youngest nephew get struck in the leg by an arrow and Kili hit the floor with a cry of pain.

"Kili!" Phoenix shouted, and this proved to be a bad thing as an orc suddenly came at her, but she managed to fight it off and she threw its body into the water.

Suddenly Phoenix was confronted by both the blonde and the red haired elf and they both aimed their bows and arrows at her instead of the onslaught of orcs.

"Dartha eno perhên." The blonde sneered.

"Tye gar na cared tyalië o nin." She told them, before she took a knife from her belt and threw it at an orc that was just about to cut off the blonde elf's head.

The two elves in front of her were almost stunned that she would even save them, and when they looked back at her, they found her gone, fighting orcs as the black haired dwarf threw himself down into the barrel the blonde held onto for him. Yet his cry of pain caused Tauriel to stop and her eyes searched for him and she saw him in pain, but she did not know why, all she knew was that she had to help him. So she watched as the dwarves were swept away by the water and Phoenix followed them, jumping straight back over the wall and she followed her, both of them landing in a forward roll on the floor, before they got up and started fighting. The dwarves watched in amazement when they could, Phoenix and this redhead moved almost as one, like they had fought in battles or trained together before! The dwarves were not exactly defenceless either, as they were able to grab any weapon that they could get hold of and they used it to their advantages, killing any orc that they came across who was about to attempt to kill them. Suddenly the elves could go no further and Thorin grabbed hold of a rock, stopping himself from moving.

"Phoenix, come on!" He shouted to her as he watched her stop and look over at him.

"I'll catch up!" She shouted to him, before she was grabbed around the neck by an orc and thrown into a rock, before the same orc pinned her there. Phoenix tried to break free with a knife from her waistband, slashing at the creature as hard as she could, before she used the rock that she was against to rip one of her gloves off and put her hands to its face. At her touch, the creature was screaming in agony, before Phoenix cut off its head and kicked its body into the water.

"I love you." She heard Thorin shout, before his strength gave in and he was washed away with the rest of the company, floating downstream.

"I love you too." She whispered as she watched them disappear down the stream, and she saw Tauriel and the blonde elf finishing off the last of the orcs, so taking her chance, she followed her dwarves, running alongside the river and soon she was gone.

 **Translation**

Nín hír, inyë gar sarch siniath, Phoenix thia an gar dandol an tye arther : My lord, I have grave news, Phoenix seemed to have come back to your realm

Dartha eno perhên : Remain still halfbreed

Tye gar na cared tyalië o nin : You have to be making game of me


	13. Chapter 13

Catching up

By the time the elves noticed that Phoenix was gone, said individual was halfway down the stream, following the sound of the dwarves. Luckily enough for her, the path that she had chosen took the same path as the river, whilst the path the orcs were on led away from the dwarves, leaving the perfect opportunity for Phoenix to catch up as they hit open water and she found them on land, with someone pointing an arrow at them, so she readied her own arrow and snuck up behind the figure.

"We are simple merchants, travelling to see our kin in the Blue Mountains." Balin was telling the person.

"You must have had some trouble within the Elven kingdom if you had to ride down the river in my barrels." The figure spoke and Phoenix recognised the voice.

"Luvutye peng." Phoenix spoke and everyone looked behind the figure to find her kneeling on the ground, back straight, arrow aimed straight for the figure's chest.

"I mean them no harm." The man spoke.

"Then lower your bow." Phoenix said again, this time in the common tongue, and this time the figure did lower his bow, and he turned to face Phoenix as she stood up and put her weapons back into their place, before a smile broke out on her lips and she and the figure almost ran to each other, colliding in a hug.

"It's been a while since you've come here." The man told her.

"I know, and I am sorry that I have been away so long." Phoenix told him, whilst the dwarves looked on in confusion.

"Bard, will you give them passage?" Phoenix suddenly asked.

"You have got to the kidding me?" Dwalin muttered and both she and Thorin gave him a look of warning.

"I will not do it for nothing, Phoenix." Bard told her as he started lifting the barrels onto his barge.

"We will give you silver." Balin told him. "We have enough coin between all of us."

"Thirteen silver pieces and not a piece less." Bard told him.

"Consider it done." Balin nodded and he noticed something clasped onto Bard's jacket, a small button, a button that resembled children. "How many bearings?" He suddenly asked as Phoenix went to help Fili tie Kili's leg in a bandage.

"A boy and two girls." Bard told him.

"And I imagine that your wife is just a beauty?" Balin asked, but he immediately wished he had not said anything when he saw the look of longing on Bard's face.

"Aye, she was." Bard told him and Balin frowned, he had not meant to cause the obvious sadness and mourning that had appeared on Bard's face at the reminder that his wife had long since died, so he tried to keep his mouth shut for a while longer.

Whilst Bard busied himself with the boat and barrels, Fili and Kili looked at Phoenix as she cleaned Kili's wound.

"What happened to his wife?" Fili whispered.

"His wife, Alice, caught an illness just before she was due to give birth to Bard's youngest child, she didn't survive the birth." Phoenix told him. "That is all Bard has permitted me to say on the matter."

Fili and Kili nodded and they watched as Phoenix cleaned the wound as best as she could, and then bandaged it with what they had.

"Kili, you need medical attention, immediately." Phoenix warned him.

"I'll be fine." Kili told her as he forced himself to his feet and as Phoenix walked over to the river's edge and knelt back down to wash her hands, she felt a presence behind her and she looked at the reflections in the water.

"What's the matter?" She asked the reflections.

"Lass, are you sure that we can trust this man?" Dwalin asked her.

"We can." Phoenix told him.

"But lass-" Dwalin started.

"Dwalin, even if you don't trust him, please trust me." Phoenix asked him. "And anyway, Kili needs medical attention that I cannot give him; maybe the world of men could help."

Dwalin looked over at the Thorin, who had remained beside him and who had managed to remain extremely silent throughout all of this. But in the end, Dwalin simply sighed.

"Alright Lass, I'll trust him, for your sake." Dwalin told her and he walked away leaving the two alone.

"You're awfully quiet." She told him.

"Am I?" He asked, looking at her and he found her nodding.

"What's on your mind?" She asked.

"How do you know him?" He asked and he could not hide the jealousy in his voice.

"Originally, I met him through his wife, Alice and I stayed friends for a long time." She shrugged.

This seemed to ease Thorin and he pulled her into him, pressing a lingering kiss to the top of her head. "I was worried about you; I wish I could have helped you."

"There was no danger to me." She told him and she pulled away to look at him. "Go and get into the boat, I will meet you all in Laketown."

"Are you not joining us?" Thorin asked as they walked to the boat where most of the company were already on board.

"Not just yet, I have a loose end that needs tying up here, I'll meet you there." She promised, pressing one last lingering kiss to his lips before she watched him get onto the boat. And once Bard was on board as well, she pushed the boat so that it set sail and she watched them all float away.

Meanwhile, back in the palace of King Thranduil, Tauriel and Legolas had joined the king in interrogating an orc that they had captured. They had been there for a while, but now the orc was trying to antagonise Tauriel.

"That young dwarf, the black haired archer, we stuck him with a morgul shaft." The orc crowed and for once Tauriel broke character and she showed her worry for said dwarf. "The poisons in his blood, he'll be choking on it soon." He sneered.

This time Tauriel's expression hardened as she looked at the orc. "You like killing things orc?" She asked her voice as cold as the steel of the knife in her hand. "You like death, well then let me give it to you!" She told it as she went to strike the orc dead with her knife.

"Farn!" Thranduil shouted, before Tauriel could touch the creature. "Tauriel, lesta. Gawaehi!"

Tauriel looked at him in almost hatred, before she put away her blade and left the two male elves to finish the interrogation. As she walked away, she remembered the words of the orc; Kili would soon be dead if she did not help him. She then knew what she needed to do, she needed to track the dwarves and Phoenix and help him. Quickly running to the armoury, she grabbed her bow and arrows, making sure her blades were included, she dressed in her weapons and quickly headed towards the gate.

"Tauriel, where are you going?"

She stopped to face the guard who had dared to stop her on her quest and she looked at him. "I am going out, I should be back soon." She told him and with that being said, she disappeared into the forest, following the river. She did not travel for long before she caught sight of boot prints, and she recognised them to be the boots of Phoenix, and as she continued she came to the rocky bank that the dwarves had stumbled upon and she found Phoenix sat on a rock watching the river. She readied an arrow before she walked forward, silently, ready for a fight.

"Nalyë vaina." Phoenix spoke and Tauriel looked at her, still waiting to release the arrow into Phoenix's back.

"Tye lenda sí an nin?" Tauriel asked.

"Yes." Phoenix turned to look at her. "Tauriel, can we drop the Elvish and speak in the tongue of common people?" She asked.

"Why do you wait for me?" Tauriel asked.

"Because I know that you want to save Kili." Phoenix told her as she got to her feet and walked over to the she-elf. "And you and I used to be friends, so many years ago, did we not?"

Tauriel looked at her and it was easy to see that she remembered those times fondly, but then she also remembered what happened to make her turn on Phoenix.

 _It was centuries ago, Tauriel was young, a mere warrior to King Thranduil, nowhere near the Captain of the Guard status that she held now. Whilst Phoenix was making her ways in small towns, selling weapons of silver for coin to buy food for herself. Tauriel first came across her when she was coming back from Laketown, after spending some time visiting friends that she had there, she was riding a horse that pulled a cart, edging around the borders of the forest. She did not get more than halfway around, when Legolas stopped her._

 _"_ _What have you got there, outcast?" He asked._

 _"_ _Weapons to sell." Phoenix told him simply, watching as he went around to the back of the cart and he picked up some of the weapons, examining them, just as many of the other guards did, except for Tauriel, who stood back and watched. Eventually the guards and Legolas threw Phoenix's weapons down and they ended up making a mess of her cart. Tauriel watched for a few minutes as Phoenix tried to organise the mess that the elf guards had made, before she got stuck in and helped._

 _"_ _Why are you helping?" Phoenix asked._

 _"_ _Because it's not fair to let you deal with this on your own." Tauriel told her._

 _Phoenix simply nodded and when everything was loaded back onto the cart, she looked at Tauriel. "I'd best be going."_

 _"_ _Would you allow me to walk with you?" Tauriel asked._

 _Phoenix seemed to think about this for a moment before she nodded and the pair started walking, Phoenix holding the reigns of her horse._

 _They walked all around the forest of Mirkwood and eventually it was time for them to part ways._

 _"_ _What is your real name?" Tauriel asked her when they had stopped walking._

 _"_ _Rhavaniel Eccaia." She told her. "But people tend to call me Phoenix."_

 _"_ _Well then Phoenix, I am Tauriel." The two smiled at each other. "Will you be back this way soon?"_

 _"_ _Maybe in a year, I have people in Laketown that I visit on a yearly basis." Phoenix told her._

 _"_ _Then I will see you again." Tauriel nodded._

 _"_ _You will." Phoenix nodded and she climbed onto her horse and they carried on their journey, Tauriel watching until she was a speck in the distance before she returned to her home in Mirkwood. True to her word for years Phoenix returned on her way to visit people in Laketown and Tauriel was always there to meet her. Every time they would meet together, talk and tell each other what they had been doing that day. Before long they had stoked up a friendship together and swore to have each other's back. But soon things got in the way, Thranduil had found out about Phoenix and Tauriel's friendship and he immediately put a stop to them as well as banished all hope of Tauriel being friends with the half breed ever again. He told Tauriel a twisted story of what happened to Phoenix's mother and from them on, Tauriel believed it, and with that hers and Phoenix's relationship suffered. Eventually it got to the point where Tauriel would kill Phoenix if she was ordered to, as becoming Captain of the Guard was more important at the time. So up until now, Tauriel and Phoenix had not seen each other for years, and that was something that Tauriel had hoped to rectify._

Looking back at the half-elf, half-dwarf maid in front of her, Tauriel felt a sense of sorrow, she had misjudged hers and Phoenix's position, and thought that a position of power was more important than friendship, now she definitely had to rectify her mistake and make it up to her.

"Do you know where he is?" Tauriel asked.

Phoenix shook her head. "But I know where they are going." She told her.

"And that is?" She asked.

"Laketown." Phoenix nodded down the stream. "Are you coming?"

Tauriel nodded and together, they started running through the forest and terrain towards the town on the lake.

Meanwhile, while Tauriel and Phoenix had been reminiscing, the company had been brought to the town on the lake and they had just got through the checkpoint, so they were on their way to Bard's home.

"Da'" A voice called out and they saw a smaller version of the bowman running towards them.

"Bain, what is it?" Bard asked, taking his son to the side.

"The house is being watched." Bain told him and the dwarves and hobbit could see the man tense.

"Alright, run back to the house; let our friends in the other way." Bard told them and he looked back at the dwarves. "Follow my son; he will lead you to the house."

Bain led the dwarves through the town quickly and efficiently as Bard headed back to his own house. Soon Bain left them so that he could join his father, but they all had an idea of where they were supposed to go. Getting to his home, Bain got there just as Bard did and they both ran inside. As Bard shut the door, he turned to the sound of footsteps and found his two daughters running towards him.

"Da!" The oldest daughter gasped in relief as she hugged her father. "I've been so worried."

"It's alright Sigrid, I'm home now." He told her and suddenly a smaller child ran to him. "Tilda." He smiled at seeing the youngest and he pulled her into his embrace as well. As Bard greeted his daughters, Bain let the dwarves in, and it just so happened to be through the toilet.

"Da' why are there dwarves coming out of our toilet?" Sigrid asked as she watched from a perch.

"Will they bring us luck?" Tilda asked as she joined her sister. Together, they watched as all of the dwarves filed into their home, before one dwarf caught Sigrid's eye. Fili was the last to climb up out of the toilet after helping his brother, and when he got back onto drier land, he looked around and the first thing he saw was a pair of beautiful brown eyes, set into a face that was beautiful enough to rival that of a goddess.

From then on, Fili felt as though he was in a dream, watching as the oldest daughter went around the group, offering blankets and then hot stew. She looked to be frazzled, but she held herself well against the sudden guests. When the dwarves and Hobbit were fed, Fili watched the girl as she busied herself with cleaning her home; she had acted more like a maid and mother to the other children than she had as a girl in the short twenty or so minutes that Fili had gotten to see her. He longed to get her alone, to ask her questions, to get to know her, but he held back. He waited until Bilbo asked Thorin a question about the wind lance that they had found stood on top of one of the buildings across from Bard's home and then he found her sat on a stool mending what looked like a pair of pants.

"Do you need some help?" He asked.

"You can sew?" She asked him, looking away from her sewing to his face and Fili was almost overcome with emotion, she was beautiful.

"Well...A little bit, it's nothing special." He told her as he moved one of his legs so that she could see a neatly sewn mark across his pants. "It pays to learn when you do what I do."

"And what do you do?" She asked, handing him something to sew and he got to work immediately.

"Well...I escort travellers from the Blue Mountains." He told her.

"You're from the Blue Mountains?" She asked.

"Aye, been there my whole life and then decided to join the quest, and I'm glad I did." He told her with a nod.

"Why?" She asked.

"Because I have been able to meet someone as beautiful as you," He told her and he smiled as she blushed and looked away from him. "Sorry, that was too forward; anyway, what's your name?" He asked.

"Sigrid." She told him.

"I'm Fili." He told her with a smile and they lapsed into a comfortable silence, silently sewing clothes together. However, all too soon for Fili, Kili suddenly hobbled over with Ori keeping him upright.

"Dear me brother, a crowned prince mending clothes, what would mother say?" Kili joked, however his joke had had the opposite effect of Sigrid who looked distraught.

"What's the matter lass?" Ori asked.

"You're the crowned prince?" She asked Fili, still looking alarmed.

"Um...Yes?" Fili asked, not entirely sure where this was going.

"Oh gods, I shouldn't have asked you to do a task befitting someone below you." She told him, taking his sewing from him and throwing it into the basket that she got it from and she suddenly walked away.

As Fili was left looking confused and distraught that his younger brother had ruined his chance of some time getting to know the beautiful girl who was looking after their group, back in the forest Tauriel and Phoenix were running through the forest, trying to stay ahead of the orcs that were following the dwarves trail to Laketown. They had completed over half of their journey on foot, managing to keep ahead of the orcs by running through the trees. Suddenly Phoenix stopped and Tauriel stopped with her, as they leant against trees, keeping out of sight of the orcs that were close by.

"What do we do?" Tauriel whispered.

"We need a distraction or they will get to the town on the lake before us." Phoenix told her as she readied an arrow and aimed it at the orcs. "When I let go of this arrow, you need to run."

Tauriel nodded and as the arrow flew, Tauriel started running, when the orcs were busy with the array of arrows, Phoenix took off running to and they soon came to the edge of the lake where a single walkway led towards the town. They walked together, side by side, towards the town. Many people stopped what they were doing and looked towards them, watching the two as they walked, some whispered and some pointed, but neither of them took notice. Tauriel just followed Phoenix as she looked for one certain house, and when she found it, Tauriel watched her climb the steps first, and knocked on the door. At the knock they heard the talking inside go silent, before a man with scraggly black hair and withered clothing opened the door – Bard.

"I'm glad that you could finally make it." Bard told Phoenix. "Please come in." He held the door open for both Phoenix and Tauriel and they walked inside.

"Phoenix!" A young voice called and suddenly a young girl ran to Phoenix and hugged her around the waist.

"Phoenix." The older two of what Tauriel deemed to be the children of the man who had answered the door to them, walked over to them and each of them hugged the woman in front of her.

"I've missed you." Phoenix told each child, before they all stood in front of her and she looked back at Tauriel. "Everyone this is Tauriel, an elf warrior from Mirkwood, she has agreed to help us with our task, if Thorin allows." Phoenix told the dwarves as she looked over at Thorin.

Thorin looked back at her from where he stood with Balin and Bilbo by the window and he did not seem pleased with the thought of having an elf helping them. However, seeing Phoenix look at him, and the look of faith that she had in this elf maid made him nod, much to the shock of his company.

"Are you serious?" Gloin sneered. "We trust this filth now?"

"Oh shut up Gloin." Phoenix told him, standing in front of Tauriel as Kili dragged himself to stand beside her. At seeing his prince stand beside the elf, Gloin backed down, but Phoenix knew that it was not the last that she heard on the subject.

As Tauriel got to know the small humans who had congregated around Phoenix, Thorin had taken his lover aside to talk to her.

"I think you're pushing Gloin's buttons on purpose now." Thorin told her.

"Not exactly deliberately," She told him. "Thorin, I do believe that Tauriel could be of some help."

"I know that and we will need all of the help that we can offer, but only one elf will not make a difference." Thorin reminded her.

"No, but this is extra help all the same." Phoenix told him. "Believe it or not, she might not be a useful against a dragon as I am, but as you should know, once you have won your throne you will forever need to keep it, that is where Tauriel will be useful."

Thorin thought about this for a few moments, before he nodded, realising that she was right. He would need to hold onto his throne once he had gotten it, so that was what caused him to decide that Phoenix was right, Tauriel would be useful to them in the long run.

"Okay, I see that you're right." He told her.

"But?" She asked.

"But I wish you hadn't brought her here right now." He told her.

"Yes, that probably wasn't my best bet." Phoenix admitted, before she kissed his cheek and wrapped a blanket around him. "Go and get warm." She instructed and when she was gone, Thorin watched her walk over to Bard and Sigrid who were talking to Tauriel getting to know her, before Bard walked away and grabbed a sack which seemed to jangle and clang together before he put it on the table and opened it. As he opened it, the dwarves gathered around to see what he had and they certainly were not impressed!

"What are these supposed to be?" Dwalin asked, toying with one of the weapons.

Phoenix watched as Bard's children congregated around her once more, and Bard explained what each of the items were to be used for and how they had been made from pieces of broken tools found around the town. The dwarves were not impressed by any of it and they threw the tools down in annoyance.

"You promised us weapons." Thorin argued.

"What did you expect from a town which has hardly got enough to feed them?" She asked.

"The only weapons that we have are heavily guarded." Bard told them. "You will never be able to get to them."

The dwarves all looked at each other and they seemed to have a silent plan, which only Phoenix seemed to realise, but she kept quiet until Bard had left to run some errands and then she seemed to snap.

"This is fucking suicide!" Phoenix suddenly shouted.

The dwarves, humans and Tauriel all looked at her, but it was Gloin who started to speak first.

"You're only just realising this now lass?" He asked. "Maybe you aren't as smart as we thought."

This time Phoenix went to strike the dwarf with her own fist, but Fili, Dwalin and Tauriel held her back.

"Come on Phoenix, he is not worth it." Tauriel told her.

"No, I've had it past my mark; the idea is to all reach the Kingdom of Erebor alive, not fucking die on its doorstep!" She told they and the fireplace suddenly burst into life which caused Bard's children to jump and Sigrid ran over to her.

"Phoenix, please, calm down, please." She pleaded and Phoenix seemed to listen as the fire died back down and Thorin walked over, taking his face in his hands, looking at her.

"Phoenix, we'll be fine, you know we will." He told her, but that did nothing to pacify her and she shrugged off the grip that Fili, Dwalin and Tauriel had on her body and Thorin's hands on her cheeks and she walked away, out of the house, leaving Thorin to sigh deeply and everyone to look at him.

"She'll come back." He told everyone and it sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than anyone else.

Meanwhile, Phoenix walked around the town and she appeared to be looking for someone or something and as she passed an alleyway, she was suddenly pulled into it by a pale hand. As her back hit the wall of a house, she pulled out a knife, ready to run the figure through, but she stopped at seeing who it was – Hilda.

"What are you doing here?" She demanded in a harsh whisper.

"I'm only passing through." Phoenix told her. "My company should me moving on soon."

"I hope so." Hilda told her. "It's not safe for you here."

"I know that." Phoenix replied. "It's not safe anywhere for me, you know that."

Hilda sighed and she unhooked a water skin from her belt and handed it out to her, watching Phoenix nod and take a drink from it.

"What's been happening here?" Phoenix asked.

"It's the same situation as the last time you were here." Hilda told her. "The master keeps all of our coin; the winter hasn't ended this year, and we are running low on food."

Phoenix nodded. "If I had known, I would have done all I could." She told her.

"I know that you would." She told him.

"How many people did you lose?" Phoenix suddenly asked.

"This past year," Hilda asked and at Phoenix's nod, she carried on. "We lost around twelve villagers." She told her.

Phoenix sighed, sliding down the wall until she was crouched on the floor, her head in her hands. "I wish I could bring them back, they were my friends."

"I know they were sweetheart." Hilda told her, falling to her knees in front of her and she lifted Phoenix's head so that the woman looked at her. "But even if you could, I would tell you to leave them where they are, they cannot suffer anymore, it would be cruel to bring them back to a world of pain."

Phoenix sighed, she knew that the woman was right, so she honoured her decision, before something caught her eye and both she and Hilda stood, looking to the centre of the town where a commotion had started in front of the Master's house.

Both Phoenix and Hilda went to investigate and they found Thorin and his company stood before the Master of the town, and he looked to be trying to convince the Master to help him. Suddenly, just as Phoenix was about to walk over to Thorin, Bard stepped out of the group and he spoke with haste and warning and Phoenix knew that this was not going to go well.

"If you awaken that beast, it will destroy us all." Bard told them.

"You can listen to this neigh-sayer," Thorin started and Phoenix knew all hell was about to break loose. "But I promise you this: if we succeed all will share in the wealth of the mountain." He promised and it caused the crowd around them to murmur in excitement and Phoenix felt nothing but dread as she watched the man she loved fill the people she cared for with false hope. She had seen dragon sickness at its worst, she knew that it lay over that treasure and what would happen to her friends and those she cared for if they laid their hands upon it worried her.

"You will have enough gold to rebuild Esgaroth ten times over!" Thorin suddenly shouted and the people around her erupted into applause.

Suddenly the master's henchman spoke up, a sickly pale and snivelling creature came forward, and looking at Thorin was malice.

"Why should we take you at your word, eh?" He asked, obviously annoying Thorin and attempting to stall at something. "We don't know anything about you. Who here can vouch for your character?" He probed and Thorin looked at the two people he knew could help him – Bilbo and Phoenix. However, it was Bilbo who spoke first as he raised his hand.

"Me, I'll vouch for him. Now I have travelled far with these dwarves through great danger, and if Thorin Oakenshield gives his word, then he will keep it." Bilbo told them and this seemed to please the people of the lake who erupted into more cheers.

"All of you listen to me!" Bard shouted, gaining the attention of the crowd once more. "You must listen. Have you forgotten what happened to Dale? Have for forgotten those who died in the firestorm? And for what purpose, the blind ambition of a mountain king who was so riven by greed he could not see beyond his own desire!" He suddenly shouted and his reasoning had the crowd muttering, most of them confused over who to side with – Bard or Thorin. However, the master had made up his mind from the minute Thorin had mentioned gold.

"Now, now! We must not, any of us, be too quick to lay blame. Let us not forget that is with Girion, Lord of Dale, _and your_ ancestor, who failed to kill the beast!" The master suddenly crowed.

"It's true, Sire. We all know the story." The master's henchman sneered, walking closer to Bard who had no choice but to hang his head in shame. "After after arrow he shot, each one, missing its mark-"He taunted, but Phoenix soon cut him off.

"And where were your ancestors when the dragon came?" Phoenix questioned, stepping forward to stand in front of Bard, directly head on with the vile creature. "What were your ancestors doing when Dale was torn a sunder?" She asked and it suddenly occurred to both Thorin and the dwarves that Phoenix might have possibly been in Dale at the time, she had seen the destruction of Dale first hand. "I'll tell you, they were running like babes into the night, not caring for a soul but their own, at least Girion came to fight, unlike your sorry excuse for masters and men of power." She spat on the floor between herself and the master's henchman, before the man before her suddenly struck her across the face, before Phoenix suddenly punched him in return and as the man lay on the floor clutching a bleeding nose, guards suddenly grabbed Phoenix. As she was grabbed, the dwarves stepped in, pushing the guards away from her and Thorin stood before her.

"She is with us, if anyone harms so much as a hair on her head, you will never see the gold of Erebor." He threatened the master, and he had no choice but to have his men stand down, as the lure of gold was too great. When the guards moved away, Phoenix watched as Bard and Thorin squared up to each other, and she heard Bard's hasty whisper to Thorin. "You have no right to enter that mountain." Bard told him sternly.

"I have the only right." Thorin told him and Phoenix caught Thorin's eyes for a second before she closed hers, not wishing to see the damage that was unfolding before her eyes as she felt people swarm past her to bring the dwarves to the great hall for food and wine. Something was wrong and it seemed that only Phoenix and Bard could feel it.

 **Translation**

Luvutye peng : Lower your bow

Farn : enough

Tauriel, lesta : Tauriel, leave

Gawaehi : Go now

Nalyë vaina : You're late


	14. Chapter 14

If you love someone, you let them go

The party was in full swing, all of the dwarves were being handed tankards of mead left and right, whilst being fed with food that the villagers of Laketown simply did not have. But not like the Master cared, all he cared for was the coin that was going to be given to him once Thorin took back the mountain. Phoenix sighed to herself. She took no part in the merriment, instead she stood on the balcony of a building looking out at the mountain and she couldn't help but think of the danger that was making it known to her - tomorrow Thorin could die! She had not felt scared many times in her life, but this was certainly one of the worst times. However, she did not have long to dwell on her fear before she heard footsteps.  
"Phoenix lass, why don't you come down and join us?"  
Phoenix turned at recognising Balin's voice and she found him stood behind her with both Thorin and Dwalin.  
"I tend not to celebrate the ritualistic suicide of people I care for." Phoenix told them looking back out at the mountain.  
"Lass if this are about what the Master and his Urchin said about you, then I will rip off their arms and beat them with them." Dwalin told her. "But come on lass, come back down to the party."  
"No thank you, Dwalin." Phoenix told him.  
"Alright lass." Balin told her and she heard them leave, but she soon felt Thorin's strong arms around her waist, pulling her into him.  
"Tell me your fears." Thorin whispered against her.  
"You might die tomorrow." She told him.  
Thorin sighed and he turned her around to face him as she was still in her dwarf form and he looked at her holding her face in his hands.  
"We knew that this would happen, we knew that this was dangerous for both of us."  
"But I thought that you had a plan or something." She told him. "A plan to come back to us, to come back to me"  
Thorin looked at her and he saw the last glimmer of hope in her eyes over him surviving this and he sighed.  
"No matter what I will be with you for the rest of your eternal life," He told her. "But if something happens to me, then I want you to kill that white Orc, will you do that for me?" He asked.  
Phoenix sighed as she nodded and Thorin knew that this was not what she needed to hear but he had no other way to comfort her except to tighten his arms around her and keep her close.

They did not know how long they stayed like that for; all they knew was that they both needed this. They were so close yet so far from achieving their task that they knew that only one thing needed to go wrong and they would never see each other again.  
"Thorin..." Phoenix whispered.  
"Yes?" He asked.  
"Kiss me." She told him as she turned around to face him and Thorin pressed his lips to hers. It did not take long for their emotions to overcome them and the kiss soon became more passionate, each of them throwing their emotions into it and their need. Their need to savour every moment in case it was their last, to feel each other, to taste each flavour, to know each other fully and to commit it to memory so that it would never be forgotten by either of them. Thorin was not usually one for giving up his dominance, but there was something about the way he felt Phoenix's hand through his hair, down his still fully clothed stomach, the fact that despite his clothing, he knew that Phoenix could still feel the hard muscles of his abdomen underneath, and as he felt her tongue begging for entrance into his mouth as their emotions got the better of them, made him rethink the option of being submissive. However, there was something in him that could not quite let that go and he soon had Phoenix away from him at arm's length. The minute he pulled away from her, he watched her fall back into her shell.  
"I'm sorry...I let emotions get the better of me." She told him, looking to the floor.  
"No, you mustn't be sorry." He told her tilting her head up to look at him. "Come with me."  
Phoenix looked at him in confusion but she followed him anyway and he led her to the room that he had been given by the Master and she looked around it. It was large, much larger than the rooms that Phoenix was used to and it was also fuller than she was used to. Every home that she had had, were mainly plain, simple, picture less and some would say boring, but this one was much different. There were tapestries on the walls, a fireplace against the wall opposite a large four poster bed which she doubted Thorin could get on without help, candelabras stood on two hard wood bedside tables either side of the bed and a bear skinned rug lay on the floor in front of a red velvet chair. Thorin looked at her in amusement.  
"This isn't what you're used to, is it?" He asked.  
"Not in the slightest." She told him with a smile.

Thorin looked at her with such admiration and love; he did not know what to do with himself. Here he was in his room with the most beautiful creature that had been beaten down so many times but still got her back up, her strength rivalled his own and he loved it. And it was in that moment that Thorin realised that he wanted to give her everything, to love her physically and emotionally and somehow probably mentally as well. If this was his last night with her then he wanted her to remember it fondly and who knew maybe they could have a child from their union and that thought was able to set his heart on fire.  
"Phoenix..." His voice broke her amazement of the room and she looked at him to find his eyes holding a desire that she herself had never witnessed before but somehow she knew what it meant.  
"Thorin..." She sounded unsure, whilst her dwarf side was screaming at her to take him to bed and let him worship her, her Elvish side was also screaming that she should be chaste until marriage.  
"I know it's confusing, but no one will love you more than I." He told her. "I want to show you how much in case I don't get to after this battle is over."  
She looked over at him, she still had hope that he would survive, and she knew that it was worthless folly but to her this was her life. Looking over at him she crossed the distance quickly and kissed him, keeping it loving and passionate.  
"Let me be a dwarf, just for tonight." She whispered to him and Thorin suddenly picked her up into his arms and carried her to the bed. By the time she hit the pillows, he was already on the bed looming over her and she had no idea how he had made it the distance but she was not about to question it right then. Moving a hand into his hair she pulled him closer, her lips seeking his and Thorin happily surrendered them to her. Their kiss remained soft and passionate but their hands became urgent and soon Thorin found himself to be naked from the waist up, with Phoenix only having her waistcoat and weapons belt off.  
"You are wearing too many layers." He told her in mock annoyance and Phoenix pushed him off of her and onto his back and she straddled his waist sitting up slightly so that he could watch as she pulled her shirt off over her head leaving her top half only covered by a pure white corset, yet as she was about to undo it, Thorin's hands caught hers and he stopped her.  
"Allow me." He whispered; kissing the swell of her breasts as his own fingers started to work on the ties of the corset. The ties were nothing to the skilled hands of the mountain King, they were undone almost immediately and the corset fell loose between the pair of them as they shared a heated kiss. Whilst Thorin's hands trailed up her back, Phoenix's hands trailed down his front until she reached his belt buckle and that was the next thing to become loose, before she moved on to the ties of his pants and that was where his hands distracted her. As she had been undoing his belt and ties, Thorin's hands been busy undoing her own pants and he had stopped her by running a hand down her back and down to her bottom. At his touch, Phoenix moved closer, brushing against his erection that was evidently straining against his pants, before she pushed herself away into her hunches and she slid off her pants. Thorin watched her as he settled back on his arms and he watched with admiration, she was truly a goddess in both looks, mind, body and spirit and she was his.

As soon as she discarded her clothes, Thorin pulled her into him again and she leant her head back as she felt his lips on her neck and then moving down to her chest to suckle on her ample full breasts and he heard her sharp intake of breath as she felt him slide a finger into her entrance. He was gentle in his movements as he started to move his finger inside her and he added another finger, stretching her. Phoenix knew what he was doing but they would have time for foreplay later, right now she merely wanted him to love her.  
"Thorin..." She told him as a soft moan left her lips.  
"Yes?" He looked up at her as she stilled his hand. "Am I hurting you?"  
"No." She whispered against his lips. "I want you inside me." She told him and she emphasised on her meaning as she ran a hand over his still bulging crotch.  
"Are you sure?" He asked her. "I don't want to hurt you...I mean I've been told that I'm quite endowed..."  
"You won't." She told him.  
"Phoenix, if we do this, there isn't any going back." He told her as he was about to remove his pants.  
"I don't care." She told him. "I love you Thorin and if something comes from this Union then I will cherish them forever and always." She told him and Thorin could see how serious she was as she looked at him.  
"I love you too." Thorin told her and his lips crashed into hers as she helped him to remove his pants. Once they were on the floor with the rest of their clothing, Phoenix saw just how endowed he truly was and he was huge. Not only was he long, but the thickness was the same as her wrist and more. Thorin saw how nervous she was at seeing his size and he kissed her gently. Once he was fully naked, he pulled out of the kiss to lay her back against the pillows. Phoenix lay back watching him as he parted her legs and nestled himself between them, the head of his erection just touching her opening. At the feeling Phoenix let out a soft gasp and she looked at him.  
"I love you." She whispered.  
"I love you too." Thorin told her, moving a hand to her face. "Look at me sweetheart." He told her.  
At his words Phoenix's eyes found his and the look of love and lust in her eyes almost made him lose control. He gathered what was left of his control and slowly pushed himself inside her. He felt the tightening and stretching of her walls around him as they accommodated him but he was not prepared for the look of pain on Phoenix's face and he stilled himself as he reached her barrier. If it was painful for her now then it might kill her when he took her maiden hood.  
"Phoenix we can stop if this is too much." Thorin almost choked out.  
She shook her head as she looked up at him. "No it's okay...just do it." She told him.  
"Phoenix..." Thorin started and as he was about to pull out he felt Phoenix's legs around his waist keeping him there.  
"Please Thorin." She whispered.  
Thorin looked at her, she wanted this and so did he but he hated the thought of hurting her.  
"I hope I never hurt you again." He told her and as his lips found hers he forced himself fully inside her, swallowing her cry of pain with the kiss.

Once he was fully sheathed inside her warm heat, Thorin stilled himself in order to help himself concentrate on her pleasure. Phoenix meanwhile was trying to keep the tears of pain at bay and she soon felt them be kissed away by Thorin and she looked up at him, her lips meeting his in a deep kiss.  
"Thorin...Move..." She whispered against his lips and he slowly pulled out until only the head of his member was left inside her and he pushed himself back inside her savouring the feeling of her walls clamping around him.  
"Fuck Phoenix, you're so tight." He hissed, peppering kisses down her neck.  
"Fuck...Thorin..." She moaned softly and it spurred the dwarf King on more and more. She was his and his alone, she would carry his heir and if anything happened to him they would rule under the mountain. The mere thought of it drove him almost to the brink but he held back until he was sure that she was ready. And that didn't take long all too soon Thorin felt Phoenix's walls twitching as she neared her orgasm and kissed her as his hand slid between them and he started to rub the hard nub and that was her undoing as she came with a scream and Thorin felt her walls clamp down on his length. With a few hard thrusts he came inside her with a primal growl of her name. Fully sated and exhausted, Thorin slid his member out of her and he allowed himself a smile at the whimper that came from Phoenix, before he pulled her into his and kissed the top of her head.  
"I love you." Thorin whispered to her.  
"I love you too." She told him and she looked up at him, moving to sit up slightly and he saw a look in his eyes that she had not seen before - sorrow.  
"My love, what is it?" She asked him her voice full of concern.  
"I'm just thinking." He told her.  
"What about?" She asked him running a hand down one side of his face.  
"Gandalf said that you were able to fight the dragon, but I was just thinking of what if I never see you again afterwards?" He asked her. "What if I die Phoenix, especially after just now, you could be with child, and it would ruin you." Thorin told her.  
As he spoke, Phoenix only looked at him waiting for him to finish. "Is that what troubles you?" She asked. "That no other man would want me because I would have carried your child," she asked, before she let out a giggle. "Oh Thorin, do you not think that I haven't thought about this already?" She asked him. "If I am with child by the end of all of this, u would care for them regardless if you lived or died." She told him. "I would fight for them to take over the throne once they were older and I'm sure that your nephews and the others would happily want to care for them." She told him. "There is nothing to worry about." She told him.  
Thorin smiled softly and he looked at her. "I will always come back to you Phoenix, our child will know me."  
"I know they will." She whispered as she laid her head on his chest but inside Phoenix was worried, would Thorin actually survive? But there was no time to dwell on it as Phoenix and Thorin soon fell asleep in each other's arms.

Meanwhile, Kili was sat with his brother watching Tauriel who was sitting in the far corner looking pretty lonely. Taking pity on her, Kili got himself to his feet and despite swaying slightly he made his way over to the red haired she-elf, the alcohol making the pain in his leg unnoticeable for now.  
"You should be resting, Kili." Tauriel told him as she stared at the mug of untouched mead in front of her.  
"And you should be sitting with us laughing and talking." He slurred.  
"I would not be welcome with your people." She told him and she pushed her mug of mead away from her.  
"Would you rather be with your people?" He asked her.  
"I do not know." She sighed. "Right now, I owe Phoenix a long awaited debt, and I know that if I went back then I would never forgive myself." She admitted and Kili seemed surprised in his drunken state. Tauriel had a debt to pay and she would feel bad for leaving them? Why?  
"Why would you feel bad?" He asked. "Your debt is to Phoenix, not to the rest of us."  
"I would feel bad because you are not very well." She told him. "And funnily enough I want to help your group, if I can, to defeat the dragon and help you to reclaim your home."  
Kili looked at her. "Tauriel we would happily accept your help." Kili hiccupped. "Now I am sorry but I am very drunk right now and I would like to kiss you." He told her.  
Tauriel looked at him, her eyes wide. "Not here." She told him but just as she was about to get to her feet, they were interrupted by Balin, Dwalin and Gloin.  
"Excuse us laddie," Balin spoke. "But have you seen your brother and uncle anywhere?"  
"Uncle hasn't come back inside from when you all went to see Phoenix, at least not that I've seen, but Fili was talking to one of the whores that the 'master' offered." Kili told him.  
"Right, thank you laddie." Balin nodded and Tauriel watched the three of them walk away before she looked at Kili.  
"Still want to kiss me?" She asked him playfully.  
"Of course I do." He told her and he pressed his lips to hers and despite his drunken state, he was a very good kisser.

Meanwhile, Fili was not talking to one of the whores that the Master had offered he was actually looking for Sigrid. It took him longer than he thought to find her and he found her sitting on a bench a half full mug of mead in her hands and she really did not look happy. Fili watched her from a distance until he saw the Master's henchman, the same guy who had insulted Phoenix and struck her, walk up to her and caress her shoulder, but she shoved him away with a vile word from her that Fili could not hear. He watched carefully and only when the urchin grabbed her arm causing Sigrid to wince, did he step in.  
"I'd take your hands off her if I were you." Fili warned him.  
"I don't take orders from people like you." The man sneered.  
"No but you will take them from a crowned prince." Fili told him, drawing a knife on him. "And especially one who is holding a knife ready to skin you."  
This caused the man to pause for a second before he threw Sigrid back onto the bench that he had gotten her from and left them to it.  
"Are you alright?" Fili asked her, putting away his blade as he sat next to her.  
She nodded. "I am alright...In honesty it's not the first time that he's done that."  
"What do you mean?" Fili asked.  
"Well...It's been happening for a long time." She sighed. "He told me that I was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen and he was regularly ask me to come to places with him but da' always stopped him, and now I'm older he just drags me places."  
"Sigrid has he ever...Done anything to you?" Fili asked.  
She looked at the floor. "He tries to but I can fight him off...One day Phoenix found him with me and she nearly skinned him."  
Fili searched the crowd of people for the little creature but could not find him. "Does your father know?"  
"No and Fili you mustn't tell him, please!" She pleaded and Fili looked at her and saw the panic in her eyes at the thought that Bard would ever find out.  
"Alright, I won't tell him." Fili promised her. "But come on, let me walk you home."  
Sigrid nodded and she got to her feet and the pair left the gathering, walking along the quiet wooden walkways back towards her home. As they walked, Fili looked out at the lake and it was so still and dark that coupled with the fog that was drifting in, it looked eerie.  
"Do you not find it scary?" Fili asked her as they walked and he looked out over the lake.  
Sigrid looked at him and then looked where he had been looking. "Not really." She shrugged. "I've lived here all my life Fili; this isn't something new to me." She told him. "But if you're scared then I could hold your hand." She told him playfully and Fili laughed before he slid their fingers together.  
"Well I wouldn't be escorting a lady home if I didn't have hold of some part of her arm, and since you're too tall for most of it, holding hands is better than nothing." He told her and even in the dark he could see Sigrid blush and he smiled to himself. She was beautiful when she blushed. However as soon as he heard that thought he mentally slapped himself, after all he had only just met the girl, technically, you cannot talk about someone like that after just one day! Eventually his time with her was cut short as they reached her house.  
"Thank you for walking me home, Prince Fili." Sigrid told him but he did not seem to register it.  
"It's just Fili." He told her.  
Sigrid smiled and she kissed his cheek. "Thank you for stopping Alfred." She told him before she turned to the stairs and found Bain stood at the top waiting for her like a dutiful brother.  
"Thank you, for walking my sister home Prince Fili," Balin told him though Fili had been too shocked by the kiss from Sigrid to do anything but nod to the boy and when they were inside, he started to walk back towards his room.

Getting back to the accommodation that had been provided for the dwarves, Fili was at a loss so he decided to go and visit the one person he knew could give him advice – his Uncle Thorin. As he walked towards his room however, he was weigh laid by Balin, Dwalin and Gloin.  
"Ah Fili, you don't by any chance know where your uncle is do you?" Balin asked.  
"Actually I'm looking for him myself." Fili told them.  
"Well then you might as well come with us." Gloin told him. "We were just about to check his room."  
Fili nodded and he walked with them and as they approached Thorin's room, they heard talking.  
"Will you give me that back already?" Thorin was asking.  
"Why?" They recognised the voice to be that of Phoenix.  
"Because I need my shirt." Thorin told her and the dwarves on the other side of the door all looked at each other in surprise, could their king and his lover be sharing a bed?  
"I'm sure that you're men have seen you shirtless before." She told him. "You four can come in you know." Phoenix suddenly shouted.  
"How on earth does she do that?" Gloin asked as Balin lead them into the room and they found Thorin dressed in only his pants glaring at Phoenix who was sat on the bed in Thorin's shirt and her pants.  
"I have elf ears Gloin." Phoenix told him as she looked at Thorin and then back at the group.  
"What is it?" Thorin asked as he too looked at the group of dwarves with him.  
"We need to talk about Kili." Balin told him.  
"What's my brother done now?" Fili asked and everyone looked at him.  
"Lad maybe it would be best for you to wait outside." Balin suggested and Fili done as he was told, waiting outside of the room.  
Meanwhile, inside Phoenix was listening to Balin, Dwalin and Gloin put their case to Thorin, which made it very clear that Kili should not continue the journey with them.  
"I know that you are right, but I promised both of my nephews-" Thorin told them but was cut off by Gloin.  
"But the lad won't make it, he looks ill already." Gloin told him.  
"Thorin it won't do the lad any favours to continue." Balin told him.  
"Aye and he would slow us down and we really do need to hurry, with Durin's day nearly upon us." Dwalin told him.  
Phoenix saw that Thorin was feeling pretty boxed in right now so she decided to intervene.  
"Will you give Thorin some time to think about this?" Phoenix asked. "He will have a solution by the morning." This seemed to appease the dwarves who left the couple too it.

When they were gone, Thorin looked at Phoenix and he saw a look in a face that brought him some relief - Phoenix had a plan.  
"What's your plan?" Thorin asked and he sounded hopeful.  
"Kili stays here and Tauriel and I stay with him." She told him.  
"What?" Thorin asked.  
"Tauriel and I can help him heal and he will be able to join you and his brother in the mountain." Phoenix told him.  
Thorin looked at her. "But we need you." Thorin told her.  
"Thorin, Kili will die without the help Tauriel and I can offer." She told him.  
Thorin sighed, at least if she stayed with Kili she would not be killed and with that going through his head he agreed to let her stay with Kili. The next morning, Thorin dressed in the regal clothes that had been left for him by one of the villagers and Phoenix sat on the windowsill sharpening her swords.  
"Have you not slept?" He asked.  
"Not tonight." She told him with a shake of her head.  
"You're worried aren't you?" Thorin asked as Phoenix helped him to attach the cape to his armour and she sighed.  
"I am." She nodded, walking round to stand in front of him.  
Thorin looked at her. "Try not to be, I will be alright."  
She simply nodded and Thorin kissed her gently before the pair of them left the room to be greeted by the rest of the company, all of them dressed in some form of decorative armour and he noticed how sickly pale his nephew looked. As Phoenix walked to the shadows, where Thorin noticed Tauriel to be stood, he led his men out to the boat that they had been given. After Phoenix had told Tauriel what was going on, she joined the procession that lead to the boats. Thorin stood watch as his company filed into the boat and he stopped Kili as he was about to follow his brother and his nephew looked awful.

"No Kili, not you." Thorin told him.

"What, why?" Kili asked, thinking that it was a joke. "Very funny Uncle."

"I'm not joking around Kili; you're staying here with Phoenix and Tauriel." He nodded to where Tauriel and Phoenix were passing supplies to Gloin and Dwalin.

Kili resided himself to not being able to go and it broke his heart, he managed to make his way over to a wooden crate where Tauriel had ended up standing, staying out of the way as Phoenix loaded the last supplies onto his company's boat.

"Uncle, we grew up on tales of the mountain." Fili told his uncle, hoping to sway his decision, despite Phoenix warning him not to. As Kili wallowed in self pity, Fili watched the scene unfold and at seeing his brother sit down, he started to get off the boat, however Thorin grabbed his arm as he was about to go to his brother. "Tales that you told us do not take that away from him."

"Fili," Thorin started.

"I will carry him if I must!" Fili told him and Thorin saw the same stubbornness that his sister was known for in the eyes of her eldest son.

"Fili, one day you will be king, and you will understand, I cannot risk this quest for the sake of one dwarf not even my own kin." Thorin told him and Fili knew that that meant there would be no more talk on the subject. However, that did not stop Fili from trying to walk away, as Oin also got off the boat, to tend to Kili, but Thorin pulled him back.

"Fili, don't be a fool." Thorin told him and Fili looked at him in anger. "You belong with the company."

"I belong with my brother." Fili told him, shrugging off his arm. "And I am no fool."

Thorin had no choice but to watch his nephew walk away to join his youngest nephew as the red haired elf maid started seeing to his wounded leg, when his eyes caught Phoenix who had wrapped her cloak around herself as she watched the king and the prince.

"Promise me that you will join us, with both of them." He asked her.

Phoenix nodded. "I will." She promised, walking over to him as he held a hand out for hers and she placed leather gloved hand into his and she watched as he pressed a kiss to her hand. "Be careful."

Thorin looked up at her and he pulled her forward, kissing his lips gently, a hand finding her waist as his thumb brushed against her stomach, somehow he was hopeful that there could be life in there after their earlier coupling, and he felt Phoenix smile slightly. "It is too soon." She whispered.

"I wish I could know." He told her.

"You will, you just have to battle a dragon first." She told him and she felt him smile slightly before she watched him get onto the boat as trumpets started.

As the Master of Laketown started his goodbye speech, wishing them luck, and hoping that they brought back much gold and treasure, Phoenix helped push the boat away from the dock and she stood to watch it sail away down the river. However, she turned around just in time to see the looks of sorrow on the dwarves who had stayed behind, before Bofur suddenly burst from the crowd looking distraught at seeing that the boat was too far away for him to catch up, but it turned to relief as he saw Phoenix, Oin, Kili, Fili and Tauriel still stood on the pier.

"Oh, did you all miss the boat as well?" He asked, however, just before anyone could answer, Kili suddenly fell forward and Tauriel and Fili both rushed to catch him.

"Kili, Kili!" Fili shouted, watching his brother slip in and out of consciousness.

"He needs medicine, and he needs it now." Phoenix told them and she picked Kili up in her arms. "Follow me." She told them as she carried a semi-conscious Kili through the dispersing crowds and through the houses.

"T-this is...v-very...Embarrassing." Kili muttered as Phoenix carried him in a moment of consciousness.

"Oh shut up." She told him playfully. "Come on Kili, tell me a joke." She knew it was in vane, but she wanted him to keep talking as she carried him up the steps to Bard's house and she kicked the door with her foot. At seeing Bard answer the door, she did not leave any room for argument.

"There is no time, he does not have long." Phoenix told him and Bard took one look at the dying dwarf in her arms and moved aside, letting them all in before he shut the door once more. Once they were all inside, Tilda and Sigrid cleared a bed and Phoenix laid Kili on it, and when Phoenix gripped his bad leg, Tauriel ripped off the bandage and inspected the wound properly.

"Man caro tye boe?" Phoenix asked.

"Inyë boe athelas." Tauriel told her.

"What's going to happen to him?" Fili demanded, obviously feeling worried for his brother.

"I'm going to save him." Tauriel promised, before she looked at Oin. "Do you have any athelas?"

"No lass, that's the one thing I don't carry." Oin told her solemnly.

"Bard, where do you keep Kingsfoil?" Phoenix suddenly asked.

"We feed it to the pigs." He told her. "How can a weed help?" He asked.

"You'll see." Phoenix told him and she looked at Sigrid and Tilda. "You two help Tauriel." She looked over at Bofur. "Bofur come on, you're coming with me." She looked at Kili and she brushed a hand to his forehead. "Hold on Kili." She whispered, before she grabbed Bofur's arm and they were gone, straight back out of the door.

When they were gone, Sigrid grabbed a bowl of water and a rag and she perched herself beside Kili's head and she used the rag to run it into the bowl of water, before she dabbed it across the young prince's forehead. As she carried on this chore of keeping Kili's fever down, Tilda helped Tauriel and Oin prepare bandages and another bowl of water for the herbs. As everyone else was getting ready to help Kili, Phoenix and Bofur were rushing over the many walkways through the small town looking for the pig sties. Eventually Phoenix pulled the dwarf to a stop and pointed to where she saw the pigs and Bofur ran forward, grabbing a handful of the herbs straight from the mouth of one of the pigs.

"I've got it lass." He told her.

"Great, now let's hurry up and get back, I don't know how long Kili has." Phoenix told him and together they started making their way back.

However, just as they got to a bridge that would lead them straight to Bard's house, Bofur was suddenly grabbed by something, and it threw him to the floor, causing him to drop the herbs and as Phoenix turned around to see what had happened, an orc was trying to run its blade into Bofur, but Phoenix's blade beat the orc and Phoenix ended up taking off the Orc's head.

"Bofur, run!" She shouted and as Bofur got to his feet and grabbed the herbs, they ran back towards Bard's house.

When they got back to the house, they found Bain pushing Orc bodies into the waters below and Tauriel putting away her knives.

"Did I miss something?" Phoenix asked as she took the herbs from Bofur and gave them straight to Tauriel who started sorting them into the bowl Tilda held for her immediately. As the herbs were being sorted, Phoenix helped the dwarves put Kili onto the table that Bain and Oin had cleared. When he was laid down on the table, each of them grabbed an arm and a leg, mainly any part of Kili's body that would pin him down so that Tauriel could work on her healing. When Tauriel was ready, everyone went quiet as to hear the words of the elves healing magic. As the words continued, it felt like an eternity for Fili who was watching his brother's face vigilantly for any signs of him getting better when suddenly he found them! Kili's colour was flooding his face as an alarming rate and he watched as Tauriel tied the bandage around Kili's leg to keep it clean and dry before everyone but Tauriel and Phoenix left him to rest.

"Something is different about you." Tauriel told Phoenix as she bandaged Kili's leg.

"What is?" Phoenix asked, sponging Kili's forehead with a damp rag once more, his colour might have come back but he was still too feverish to be convinced as safe.

Tauriel and Phoenix went silent for a few minutes before Tauriel seemed to freeze and she looked over at Phoenix.

"He bedded you, didn't he?" She asked, sounding as scandalous as her face looked.

Phoenix just glanced up at her. "Yes he did."

"Phoenix, did you not think?" Tauriel suddenly demanded. "To carry a bastard child means exile."

"I know the risk Tauriel." Phoenix hissed as quietly as she could. "Do you not think I know, being a bastard child myself?" She asked. "And in case you haven't noticed, I'm already exiled."

"We'd protect you."

They both looked to the sound of the voice and found Fili stood behind them, having heard the conversation so far.

"Fili, I couldn't ask that of you." Phoenix told him.

"Nonsense, if you are pregnant with my Uncle's child then it would be an honour." He told her, walking to stand beside her. "I will fight for your child to take the throne."

"As will I." Kili murmured and they all looked at him.

"You need to stay alive first." Fili told him with a sharp smack to the chest. "And don't you dare scare me like that again, brother."

It did not take long for Kili to be on his feet and moved into a chair with Fili keeping a close watch on him. They never told Oin and the others about what Phoenix had told them, but Tauriel needed to know that she had thought this all through. As they stood outside of Bard's house, Tauriel watched as Phoenix looked up at the moon, before her eyes settled to looking over at the Lonely Mountain.

"Ná hen man tye iest?" Tauriel asked.

"Ed ná." Phoenix nodded. "Inyë henia i raxë."

"Man itë i hên ná sui tye?" Tauriel asked.

"Esto innas no cared an." Phoenix told her.

Tauriel looked at her and nodded slightly as they both looked out over the mountain. "It is oddly peaceful, isn't it?" She asked.

"It is I hope that doesn't mean what I think it means." Phoenix told her.

"No matter what, Thorin will be fine." Tauriel told her. "His men will stand by him."

"I hope so." Phoenix whispered.

Meanwhile, inside the mountain, Thorin, Bilbo and Balin had just reached the forges where the other dwarves were already preparing an onslaught of molten gold for the dragon. As Thorin sent his dwarves to work, he looked at Balin who had come over to him.

"Balin, I need you with the others." Thorin told him.

"Aye lad, but I'm just warning you to be careful, Phoenix will need you if what you wish comes true." Balin told him and it caused Thorin to pause a minute, before he realised that Balin had seen his and Phoenix's goodbye, and Balin was a smart dwarf, he knew when something was happening.

"Balin, if something happens to me and what I wish for does come true, promise me that you will look after her and the child." Thorin asked.

"I will laddie." Balin nodded, before he ran off to join the others at his post, leaving Thorin alone to his thoughts before he snapped out of them and he climbed up onto one of the machines.

"You think that you can stop me!" A voice rang out and Thorin watched as Smaug the dragon suddenly burst through the doorway and into the forge, and from there the dwarves scattered after trying in vain to light the long since dormant forges. As his men scattered, Thorin saw the dragon focus on him and he ran towards the river of molten gold that had somehow managed to start flowing from a single working furnace that Dwalin had suddenly managed to light as everyone else was running, and he picked up a wheelbarrow on his way and threw it into the water and jumped onto it as it took him further down the river away from his men, but still within the eyes of the dragon.

"Here, you witless worm!" Thorin shouted as he landed on top of the mould for a statue and Smaug walked past.

Smaug stopped, and he turned around baring his teeth at the dwarf king. How dare he call him witless, he was the one to send a hobbit into his domain to do his dirty work!

"I am taking back what you stole." Thorin told him.

"You will take nothing from me, dwarf!" Smaug raged. "I laid low your warriors of old, I instilled the terror in the hearts of men, nearly tore your pretty little elf thing apart. I am the king under the mountain!" Smaug shouted.

"This is not your kingdom! These lands and this gold belong to the dwarves, and we will have our revenge!" Thorin shouted, gaining a tight grip on the chains beside him and suddenly the mould that he was on burst open, revealing a golden statue. The gold captivated Smaug immediately, so much that he did not notice the statue start to melt and suddenly there was an onslaught of molten gold heading for him. Due to his size, Smaug was not able to get free of it in time and it suddenly encased him in gold. The dwarves were ready to celebrate, but Thorin knew that something was not right. Getting rid of a dragon does not happen that easy! And soon he was right, as Smaug burst from the molten gold and with a loud roar. Only this time, he did not turn on the dwarves, instead he went for the door and Thorin realised where he was going.

"Revenge, revenge, I will show you revenge!" He cursed, flying towards the town on the lake and Thorin's heart dropped at hearing the loud roar of the furious dragon as it flew through the dark skies, dripping molten gold as he went. He was going straight towards his nephews and Phoenix! He just hoped that Phoenix, Fili and Kili were already out of the town on the lake and one their way here, so that he could deem them safe.

 **Translations**

Man care tye boe? : What do you need?

Inyë boe athelas : I need athelas

Ná hen man tye iest? : Is this what you wish?

Ed ná : It is

Inyë henia i raxë : I understand the danger

Man itë i hên ná sui tye? : What if the child is like you?

Esto innas no cared an : They will be cared for


	15. Chapter 15

Saving the Town

The sound of the dragon almost made Phoenix and Tauriel shiver, its cry was piercing to their ears but it also brought back memories that Phoenix did not wish to witness again. Memories of destruction, of fire so hot it melted people just by looking at it.

"We must leave." Tauriel told them as she walked back inside Bard's house to where Phoenix had just finished bandaging Kili's leg and Tilda, Sigrid and Bain were huddled together.

"The dragon, its here isn't it?" Tilda asked, running to Phoenix who wrapped her arms around her youngest godchild in hopes to save her from the flames.

"It is." She told her, before she looked at Tauriel. "They need to run, we all do."

Tauriel nodded. "We must leave." She helped Sigrid gather coats for them all and she helped the eldest daughter put her own coat on as Phoenix helped the youngest.

"We aren't leaving without da'." Bain told her and Phoenix looked at him.

"He would not want you all to die." Phoenix told him. "Bain, gather your coat for warmth, we are leaving, now."

Bain knew better than to argue with her, so he gathered his coat and helped the dwarves down to the boat. Phoenix and Tauriel helped Tilda and Sigrid onto the boat as the dwarves joined them. Once Tauriel was on board, the boat suddenly started moving away from the house and they all looked back to find Phoenix still stood on the ledge, pulling off her gloves.

"Phoenix!" Tilda screamed.

"What are you doing lass?" Bofur asked as he and the others tried to stop the boat.

"Keep going, I have to stop the fire." She told them before she looked over at Tauriel. "Yeeta ala i nessa mine, Tauriel."

Tauriel nodded and she held the youngest back as she screamed for Phoenix to come back as they all watched her run off in the direction of the dragon.

As she ran, Phoenix got rid of her cloak, giving it to another child as she ran past in order to protect at least one child from the flames, before she moved to climb onto a house and she looked around for the dragon and Bard, yet as she was about to go back to the ground, something solid hit her back and caused her to fall from the roof that she was on, grabbing the edge of the roof, she looked back and found the dragon had been the one to hit her. The size of it made her breath catch in her throat, it was enormous and suddenly she felt memories rushing back to her but she managed to push them back.

"I have to get back to Thorin." She told herself and she dropped herself down onto the walkway below and she pushed through the crowds of people, looking for Bard.

As she searched, she noticed that someone was walking around in front of the jail window and she ran up the stairs to the jail. Meanwhile, inside the jail, Bard was pacing his cell, he needed to get home to his children, he needed the black arrow, and he needed to kill the dragon! But first he needed to get out of this cell! He had heard the guards leaving as the dragon got closer, and he was trying to find his way out, but he was soon distracted. Other footsteps could be heard entering the jail.

"Who's out there?" He shouted, pressing himself against the cell door in hopes to catch a glimpse of who it was.

"Bard," Phoenix called out as she heard him.

"Phoenix, I'm over here! Quickly, fetch the keys!" Bard shouted in relief and he heard Phoenix's quick footsteps and soon the jingle of keys joined them and he suddenly found Phoenix at the cell door and she unlocked the door. Pushing it open, he grabbed his belt that held his sword which had been put on the table where the guards had sat.

"What's the plan?" Phoenix asked him.

"You get my children out of here." Bard told them as the pair of them ran back towards his house, and they found it empty. "Where are they?" He asked in worry.

"I have already sent them away with the remaining dwarves and Tauriel; your children will be safe with them."

Bard looked at her and they grasped each other's wrists, before Bard grabbed his bow and arrows. "Then let's kill this bastard."

Phoenix smiled with him and then the pair was gone, running through the village towards the wind lance, however, Smaug seemed to see where they were going and suddenly the wind lance went up in flames, causing the pair to stop.

"Now what do we do?" She asked.

"We need somewhere high." Bard told her.

"The bell tower," Phoenix told him.

Bard looked at her. "Phoenix, I could kiss you." He told her and they climbed onto the houses, running along beams and rooftops to reach the bell tower alive.

Climbing up there, Phoenix cut the rope that was causing the bell to ring, and as it went silent, she stayed on the roof as Bard climbed into the space that held the bell. Setting himself up, Bard kept an eye on the dragon and as he took aim, he froze; the dragon was too far out.

"I need him closer." He told Phoenix over the screams of the townsfolk.

Phoenix looked at him, before she looked around her, she saw the dead, the dying, the burning, the fleeing either by foot, by boat or by swimming and then she saw the dragon.

"I will get him close." She told him and she slid down the roof before she ran across rooftops and she found a good place to stand.

"I hope this works." She told herself as she looked around her, and she saw the large fires that roared around her and she stole a quick glance back at Bard who nodded and she then set her hands out in front of her. As her hands were stretched out, the flames around her gathered into something else and it suddenly took the form of a much larger Phoenix bird than the one that she had created back when the company had been captured by trolls. Smaug saw the Phoenix as it gathered in the sky and he knew immediately what it was, however, he did not expect the attack that it performed on him, almost like it was a solid, real life bird!

However, Smaug was not the only one who saw it. Back outside of Erebor, the remaining dwarves had come to watch the dragon and they were all in mourning for the people of Laketown as the town was torn a sunder. However, it was Bilbo who had continued to watch and he saw the phoenix.

"Everyone, look!" He shouted.

"What is it lad?" Balin asked.

"It's a phoenix, the one that Phoenix creates with fire, it's fighting Smaug!" He told them and sure enough everyone came to look, even Thorin and they watched as Smaug and the fire Phoenix battled it out in the sky above Laketown.

"She must be biding Fili, Kili, Oin and Bofur time!" Dwalin told them.

"Aye, she must be helping them escape; the town is all but lost." Balin told them.

"Does that mean that she will die?" Ori asked.

"Maybe lad, but she will die a warrior, a hero of the line of Durin and of those who survive the lake." Dori told him, resting a hand on his younger brother's shoulder as he started to cry and suddenly all of the dwarves seemed to be shedding a tear. They could lose their most unique member of their company; Phoenix might never see the halls of Erebor in all of their glory.

"Do not speak like that." Thorin told them. "She will live."

Everyone looked at him and they saw a crazed look in his eye that no one expected to see, he seemed to be in denial and that was not a good thing.

 _She will die...You know she will...She will leave you..._

Thorin was trying to ignore the voice in his head, so as a distraction, he took to looking out at the battle between the dragon and the fire bird above Laketown, but the voice kept niggling, it was starting to wear him down, at a fast rate and he did not know if he would be able to stop it.

Back in Laketown, Phoenix was still stood on the roof, though now her hands were at her sides as she let her mind take over the Phoenix as it fought Smaug, bringing him closer to Bard. However, she almost lost her focus as she glanced down and saw the boat that held Sigrid, Tilda, Tauriel, Bain, Kili, Fili, Oin and Bofur and they all saw her.

"Phoenix!" Sigrid screamed.

"Phoenix!" Tilda cried, her eyes streaming with tears. "Come back to us, come with us!" She screamed.

As they passed under the house that Phoenix was stood on, they all looked back and found that she was still stood on the roof; the dragon had not got to her, yet.

"Phoenix, come on!" Kili cried.

Phoenix heard them even over the commotion of the fight above them, and she closed her eyes, trying to stop the tears from flowing, but this time she could not stop them.

"Keep going." She whispered. "Be safe, I love you all." She kept whispering, and she glanced back at Bard who nodded to her, telling him that he was ready and she managed to move out of the way in enough time to send an arrow at Smaug, however, it bounced straight back off his hide. Arrow after arrow he shot, each one not doing its intended task, and both Bard and Phoenix fell to the ground as the dragon flew over them both and Bard saw the missing scale. The story was true, his ancestor had taken a scale off of Smaug, but looking at it, Bard knew that he only had one shot and it was not an easy shot to take! Looking at his arrows, Bard found that he was down to his last one, and as he picked it up he took a deep breath, it was now or never. Putting the arrow to his bow, he took aim and this time the dragon was coming straight towards him, and when it was within range, he let the arrow fly, but he never saw whether it hit his target because he hit the wood just as the dragon flew into the bell tower above him and he saw that the dragon was unscathed.

Now he had wasted his final arrow, he had nothing left; suddenly he heard the sound of scampering footsteps coming towards him.

"Da!"

Turning around, Bard saw Bain had popped his head up from the steps, and he was both relieved that his son was alive, but angry that he had left his sister's.

"Bain, what are you doing, you shouldn't be here." Bard told him, his voice desperate for his son to leave.

"I came to help!" Bain told him.

"You can't help, nothing will stop it now." Bard told him, his voice full of failure.

"This might." Bain told him and he held out the black arrow that Bard had given him to hide earlier that day.

Bard suddenly felt hope as he took the black arrow from his son, and they both got up, but what they saw made them freeze. Coming towards them was Smaug and Bard and Bain both recognised something in his claws – Phoenix! Phoenix was struggling against the dragons vice like grip, but she knew it was hopeless. One move of his claws and she was done for, so she stopped struggling, especially when she heard the dragon speak.

"You try so hard Bowman, and yet, you cannot save those you love most." Smaug told him, his voice smug. "Is that your child?" He asked and Bard and Phoenix looked over at a rapidly shaking Bain. "He will die next, after this one." He snarled the words and Phoenix let out a cry of pain as the claws of the dragon pierced her skin.

"Look away Bain." Bard told his son and he spun his son around so that he did not see what was happening to Phoenix.

"Bard, kill him!" Phoenix screamed and the look of pain on her face broke his heart, she should not have to die like this.

"I will." He whispered. "I will avenge you." He spoke, his voice quiet, but Bain and Phoenix both heard him and Bain felt tears run as there was a scream from Phoenix that was suddenly cut short as the dragon crushed her with his claws and threw her away. He heard the splash as Phoenix's body fell into the water and he knew that that was the end. As he started to sob, he let Bard stand him on the edge of the ledge, and he felt the arrow being placed in his shoulder as Bard readied to fire.

"Bain, Bain look at me." Bard told him and Bain looked at his father, tears falling rapidly down his cheeks.

"She can't be dead da'." He told him.

"I know, but we will avenge her." Bard promised and as the dragon came towards them, Bard took his shot, the arrow embedding itself inside the dragon, but not before the dragon ripped down the building that they were in and Bard and Bain jumped into the cold water below.

When they eventually resurfaced from the cold water, they found that they had both ended up washed up on the bank of the river and they were surrounded by bodies.

"Da!" Bain shouted as he got to his feet, swaying slightly but used a nearby rock to steady himself.

"Bain, I'm here, where are you?" Bard shouted and he suddenly felt something run into him and he smiled in relief when he saw that it was his son. "Oh Bain, you're alright."

"I am." He nodded. "Da' we need to find Phoenix."

Bard looked at him and he sighed. "Bain, I don't think that she would be here."

"Please, Da' can we look?" He asked.

"Alright, let's look." Together they split up and looked around the mass of bodies and it did not take long for Bain to find a familiar dark hair colour and white skin amongst the bodies.

"Da' over here!" Bain shouted and Bard started running towards his son and he found him knelt down next to Phoenix's body.

Quickly checking for any signs of life, Bard soon realised that Phoenix's life had long left her body and she was as cold as ice, so cold her lips were blue.

"Bain, she's gone." He whispered.

"No...No da' she can't be...She promised to see us grow old." Bain whined, and Bard remembered the day that she had made that promise, it had not been directly to his children, but to his wife before she died. But now was not a time for remembering such events, he needed to find his daughters. "Bain, come, we have to leave."

"But da' we need to bury her." Bain told him.

"Bain, we don't have time." Bard told him. "We need to find your sisters." Bard reminded him and Bain gave up arguing, and he pressed a kiss to Phoenix's forehead, before he stood up. When Bain had moved, Bard kissed the top of Phoenix's head and he put her hands together on her lap, brushing some of her dark hair back from her face and he got to his feet, and both he and Bain followed tracks that could only have come from the survivors of Laketown, searching for Sigrid and Tilda.

Meanwhile, Tauriel, Fili, Kili, Bofur, Tilda, Oin and Sigrid had made it to the river bank away from Laketown and they were all searching for Bard, Bain and Phoenix. At least, Tauriel, Tilda and Sigrid were, the dwarves were looking for a boat to use in order to reach Erebor.

"Da'," Tilda screamed, clutching her stuffed toy for comfort and hope.

"Da', Bain?" Sigrid shouted.

Fili looked back at the two young lasses and he felt their pain, their father might be dead, that was something he knew all too well, but their brother might also be and he looked over at his own brother, he knew that feeling as well. So leaving the others to check the boat, Fili walked over to Sigrid, remembering their conversation before the other dwarves of his company left.

"Sigrid," Fili asked.

Sigrid looked at him, there was fear in her eyes, brought on by him or his kin, Fili was not sure, but he was not about to think about it.

"Yes Fili?" She asked.

"Come with me." He told her.

"What?" Sigrid asked.

"Come to Erebor with me." He told her. "You'll be safe there, with me." He told her.

Sigrid looked at him, this dwarf before her was willing to allow her a place in Erebor just to keep her safe. Could he possibly love her? After all, she was not about to deny that she felt something towards the dwarf, but she was unsure as to what it was, was it love? She did not know, but what she did know was that she could not leave her sister alone now, she needed to stay...She needed to say no.

"Fili...I can't." She told him. "I wish I could." She whispered.

Fili looked at her and she saw the sadness in his eyes, before they soon sparked with an idea and she suddenly hand something being held out to her and it appeared to be Fili's smallest knife.

"It won't do much damage, but please, look after this for me." He told her. "Treat it like a promise from me."

"A promise for what, exactly?" She asked.

"That I promise that I will come back for you." He told her.

Sigrid felt her heart swell and she watched the dwarven prince walk away and she felt tears in her eyes, would this be the last time she would see him? She hoped not and secretly so did Fili.

Meanwhile, Kili was also trying to persuade someone to come with him, a red-haired elf called Tauriel. By now, he was almost on his knees begging her to come with him, but instead he grabbed her hand and looked at her, his facial expression serious.

"Tauriel, Amrâlimê"

Tauriel looked at him, her eyes wide in either shock or fright, and Kili did not like either of them.

"I do not know what that means." Tauriel whispered to him, her voice quiet and almost scared, but Kili could see that her eyes portrayed a different emotion – joy.

"I think you do." Kili told her with a smile, but it was soon wiped from his face as Tauriel went still and stared above his head.

"HÎr nín, Legolas." She spoke like it was well rehearsed and Kili saw the elf prince stood behind her.

"Hauta tya némë en hadhod, Tauriel." Legolas told her, the amount of authority that rang through his voice made Kili bristle, but he kept his mouth shut and instead, he simply walked towards the boat that his kin were still trying to push away towards Erebor. However, something caused him to stop and he turned back to Tauriel, taking the ruin stone from his pocket and he placed it firmly into her hand and closed her hand around it.

"Keep it, as a promise." He told her, and this time he didn't wait for her to reply and instead he climbed into the boat and helped it sail away. If he had turned back, he would have noticed the tears in Tauriel's eyes as she held the stone tightly.

"Tye gar munta car sí." Legolas told her, and Tauriel realised something, she did have a job, she had promised to look after the two women.

"Actually, I do, I have been tasked with looking after the two young ones I brought from the town." She told him and she walked away from her prince, finding Tilda and Sigrid easily enough. As she left, Legolas was stunned, Tauriel had never resisted an order, at all, and now she had simply walked away from him. He wanted to follow her, but he knew that he had a task to do; he needed to ride to Gundabad. So with a heavy heart, the prince rode off, away from the struggling villagers from the town on the lake and away from the she-elf who held his heart.

 **Translation**

Yeeta ala i nessa mine, Tauriel : Look after the young ones, Tauriel

HÎr nín, Legolas : My lord Legolas

Hauta tya némë en hadhod, Tauriel : Take your leave of the dwarf, Tauriel

Tye gar munta car sí : You have nothing to do here


	16. Chapter 16

Grieving

Tauriel could not believe what she had done; she had just disobeyed her prince! What was wrong with her? She half debated following him, but she took one look at the small human beside her and saw that she was close to sobs as was her sister beside her, who was trying to hide the worry in her eyes that she was feeling towards her father and brother.

"Da'!" The older female called into crowd of dead, injured or alive, listening intently for any reply, yet none came. However, they all looked towards a group that had gathered not far away and they decided to investigate, maybe it was their father, Tauriel followed them intent on keeping them safe.

When they reached the group, they found the pale sickly and horrid man that had originally caused anger to both Bard and Phoenix back before the dragon hit had turned upon one of the women of the town who was handing out blankets.

"You're not in charge anymore Alfred Litchville." The woman told him as she passed out blankets to others.

"Thank you Hilda." One of the older women smiled.

"That is where you are wrong." Alfred was telling her. "In the absence of the Master, the power falls to his deputy, which in this case, is me." He told her with a sneer. "Now give me a blanket!" He made a grab for the blanket and the two started a tugging match.

"Deputy, don't make me laugh!" Hilda told him, venom in her voice as she squared up to the man. "You're a sleezy," She hit him with the blanket. "Thief more like." She told him as she hit him again. "I will be dead before I see the likes of you in charge."

"That can be arranged!" He went to hit her and Tauriel was about to step in and intervene, but he was grabbed by a much stronger looking man – Bard.

"I would not turn on your own right now, Alfred." Bard told him as he let him go and he was suddenly tripped up by Bain.

Nothing more could be heard as the sounds of Tilda and Sigrid could be heard above all else.

"Da'!" Both of the girls screamed.

"Come here!" Bard told them with a smile of relief as he opened his arms to them and both of the girls ran into his arms. The sight caused Tauriel to smile, but there was something wrong, three of them had stayed behind, but only two had made it to the shore – where was Phoenix?

However, she did not want to ask and stop the reconciliations that were happening as Bard held all of his children close to him, relieved that they were alive and safe.

"It was Bard!" One of the townsfolk shouted, walking towards the group. "He killed the dragon; I saw it with my own eyes!"

"Aye, he and Phoenix, she created the fire bird which brought the dragon close for the kill!" Another shouted.

"Where is Phoenix?" The woman, Hilda asked and everyone looked at Bard and Bain.

"Phoenix was grabbed in the claws of the dragon as she tried to give Da' and I some time, her body was washed up on the bank, not far away." Bain told them and Tauriel felt tears come to her eyes at the mentions that Phoenix was dead, but she pushed them away, there would be time to grieve later. Looking around, she saw the other townsfolk who had turned on her in the end, all bow their heads in sadness and silent prayer and from there Tauriel realised, Phoenix might have been driven out of her home in Mirkwood and her home with the dwarves, but the World of Men would always welcome her, she just hoped now that Phoenix had found peace. However, suddenly the silent prayer was broken by the scheming weasel from before.

"All hail King Bard!" He suddenly shouted and everyone looked at him.

"Do not call me that." Bard told him. "Show some respect Alfred, but I am not the Master of this town." Bard reminded him before he looked around. "Where is he?" He asked. "Where is the master?"

"Halfway up the river, with all of our coin." Hilda told him, and Tauriel saw that the woman was already crying silent tears for Phoenix. "You would know." She pointed at Alfred. "You helped him to empty the treasury."

"No, I tried to stop him." Alfred told them, but no one seemed to believe him and Tauriel kept Bard's children close to her. "I asked him to think of the children." Alfred told him and he suddenly pulled Tilda from her sister's arms. "Will you not think of the children?" He suddenly winced as Tilda stamped on his foot and ran back to Tauriel, throwing her arms around the elf-maiden for safety. Tauriel watched as Bard took charge of the group, sending people to help the wounded, carrying anything that they would need and to make sure that his children were alright, which was left to Tauriel who happily took charge of it. She had made a promise and she was now going to fore fill it.

"Winter is almost amongst us." Bard told her. "We must look to our own."

"And what then?" Hilda asked.

"Then we find shelter." Bard told her and everyone got to work, salvaging what they could and helping as many of the wounded as their supplies could manage. Before they set out, Tauriel set herself a task, she found some wood that was dry and unused and wrote a message. She did not believe that Phoenix was dead, but she knew that she would not know where to find them, so with Tilda, Bain and Sigrid looking on, she found a sharp enough stone and wrote a note and they propped it up against a tree, to wait for her, and they soon moved on with the rest of the survivors of Laketown.

 _I ost núf i orod brand, innas no ya emmë innas daro ye dartha an tye dadwen, sell o nár_

Meanwhile, Fili, Kili, Oin and Bofur had almost reached Erebor, and as they saw the large stone gates, they almost broke into a run of excitement. Yet whatever excitement they had soon died as they saw the large hole in the doorway or Erebor and a fear crept over them. Had the dragon killed the company? They all suddenly ran through the broken doorway, looking around for any signs of life or death.

"Thorin!" Kili called out.

"Bilbo!" Fili shouted.

"Bombur, Bifur!" Bofur shouted.

"Gloin, Ori, Nori, Dori?" Oin shouted loudly.

"Stop!" They all stopped as they heard the voice, it was Bilbo! And they all saw him running towards them, fear on his face.

"Stop, we all need to leave." He told them.

"But we've only just got here." Bofur told him.

"I know, but this place is cursed." He told him. "I've tried talking to him, but he won't listen, he won't eat, he won't sleep, he won't do anything."

"Who?" Kili asked.

"Thorin!" Bilbo suddenly shouted, before he shushed himself. "Thorin, he won't leave the treasury, I think that he may be sick."

"Sick?" Fili asked suddenly worried. "What kind of sick?" He asked, and he suddenly saw something behind Bilbo and he happily raced down the stairs to find his uncle and everyone followed him. When they reached the final step, the found Thorin stood in amongst the piles of gold in the treasury and even from their high vantage point, they could see that there was something very wrong with their king.

"Welcome, my sister sons, to the treasure of Thror." Thorin told they and he threw up a gem to them and everyone watched as Fili caught it.

The group of dwarves all looked at the treasure before them and it made them all surprised. Never had they dreamed that it had spread to this amount, they thought that it was only a small fortune, but with the true amount, they could build Erebor, at least seven times over! Yet they left Thorin to his gold, and they soon found their other dwarves. Yet the princes couldn't come to take joy in their celebrations, they felt that their hearts were too full and both of them knew it. Later that night, when everyone else had managed to get some sleep, after the stories of how they had staved off the dragon had ended and they had no more ale to consume, Fili found his brother sat on the steps that led down to the treasure.

"What do you think of?" Fili asked him as he sat beside him.

"Tauriel," Kili told him instantly. "I asked her to come with me." He confessed.

"Why?" Fili asked.

"Because I love her." Kili told him. "I've loved her since that night in the dungeons where she spent it talking to me."

Fili sighed. "I asked Sigrid to come with me."

Kili looked at his brother, and he knew that Fili and Sigrid had not talked as much as he and Tauriel had, but he knew that his brother was stubborn. If he felt that he loved Sigrid, loved her enough to ask her to join him in Erebor, then he knew that he was serious and that nothing would stop him until she was at his side.

"I gave her my shortest dagger, as my promise to return to her." Fili continued.

This made Kili even more surprised, for he knew that Fili's smallest dagger was the one that he had received from their father when he was a dwarfling, before his father went off to the battle that claimed his life. But what surprised him was that he had actually given this to a woman from a town of men!

"What did you give to Tauriel?" Fili asked him.

"I gave her the ruin stone." Kili told him. "In order to promise to her, that I would come back to her."

Fili smiled slightly, his brother was just as in love with his lady as he was with his own and he rested a hand on his shoulder.

"We will see them again Kili." Fili promised him.

"Aye, we will." Kili nodded, resting his own hand on his brother's shoulder.

"Now come on, let's get some sleep, I don't think we are out of trouble yet." Fili told him and Kili nodded, both brothers going back to get some sleep. Fili had been right, the next day marked the day of preparing for battle. Thorin had even had them build a barricade over the whole in the doorway in order to stop anyone else from coming to the mountain. They had heard no word from Phoenix, and after Fili, Kili, Bofur and Oin told them about what she had been doing the last time they saw her, everyone was worried, but no one voiced it. Instead their silently complied with their king and went on their way, doing whatever they could to keep Thorin happy and to try and keep some of the sanity that he had once held, but that was nearly impossible.

That same night, Tauriel had arrived at the ruins of Dale and she had made sure that she kept close to Bard's family to protect them from any danger. The younger one had fallen asleep due to emotional exhaustion and Tauriel had taken turns with the young lad of her brother in order to carry her. They finally found a safe place to lay her down and Tauriel allowed for Bain to take Tilda from her back and set her on a bed that Sigrid had deemed acceptable. As Sigrid and Bain also made themselves some beds, Tauriel walked out of the small shelter that they had deemed home to look over the stars.

"I want to thank you."

The voice made her turn and she found Bard stood behind her and she bowed her head. "No thanks are necessary." She told him immediately. "I am merely fulfilling my promise."

"To Phoenix?" He asked.

Tauriel nodded, she could see the grief in his eyes and she could see that this man had loved Phoenix deeply, but how deeply was unclear.

"You sound like the pair of you was close." Tauriel told him.

"We were." Bard nodded. "I originally knew her when I was a small child; she was the protector of Laketown, given the title centuries before by my ancestor, Girion of Dale." He told her. "She taught me how to fight with a sword and wield a bow, and she gave me advice on life, and told me stories of the worlds that she visited."

"What advice did she give you?" Tauriel asked.

"About how to grow up and seek my own destiny, and eventually she gave me advice on how to win the heart of my wife." He told her and he smiled at the memory. "I was a foolish teen back then, just starting out as a bargeman, Phoenix trained me to become less foolish and win the heart of Alice." Bard's eyes suddenly darkened. "She was there when Alice died; Phoenix helped deliver our youngest daughter and helped Alice to pass on not minutes after."

Tauriel saw the sadness in his eyes, he loved Phoenix as his closest friend and an important part to the survival of his children and she envied him. She and Phoenix had also once had a friendship like that, but she had thrown it away because of her king, whilst Phoenix had never held prejudice to anyone. But now, there was something on her mind, Phoenix had helped this Alice woman to pass on, how could she have done that? No other elf could do it, and she doubted that it was an ability of the dwarves.

"How did she help her to pass on?" Tauriel asked.

"Phoenix can move between this land and the one of death." Bard explained. "She is able to bring Elves and Dwarves back from the dead, but not humans, I suppose that is because she has no human blood. But her ability to see the finer things in people's souls allow for her to aid them into the next world." Bard told her. "At least that is how it was explained to Alice and me."

Tauriel then allowed Bard to take his leave and look after the rest of the survivors as she stood there in thoughts. That made more sense in the case of Phoenix's name, a Phoenix is a bird of fire and can resurrect. But now she held hope, if Kili were to die in this battle then she could throw herself on the half elf, half dwarf's mercy and beg her to save him, Tauriel just hoped that it would not come to that – ever!

The next morning saw a legion of elves walk into the runes of Dale, led by King Thranduil; they must have heard that the dragon was dead, because Tauriel knew that Thranduil would not have even considered bringing his people here unless the dragon no longer existed. She kept out of the way as the humans were given supplies by the elves, and she watched from a distance as Thranduil and Bard talked about war. Even when the Wandering Wizard joined them, she did not move from her post of protecting Bard's children. For days she waited for any sign that Phoenix was coming back, for a sign that she was at least alive and healing her wounds, but yet none came and she watched Bard's children all grieve for her in their own way. The lad took up learning how to fight with a sword, though Tauriel suspected that he had already been given some form of training by Phoenix as she noticed some patterns that Phoenix had when she was fighting show through the boy. The oldest daughter had taken to busying herself with helping Hilda care for the wounded and Tauriel recognised the same arts of healing that Phoenix used, since Phoenix could not heal the same way Tauriel could. It was the youngest that worried her the most, she would simply sit in the corner of the shelter the siblings and their father had occupied and stare at the far wall, her knees pulled up to her chest and her toy held tightly against her. It was after this was the scene for a second day that Tauriel sat next to her.

"Child you need to talk." Tauriel told her. "I know it is painful, but you need to talk to someone."

"I understand Elvish you know." The child suddenly said.

"Do you?" Tauriel asked, happy that even though she was not talking about her feelings, the child was talking. "What can you say in Elvish?"

"I know things like bain aur." Tilda listed. "And I know bain dû," She continued. "And I know Iell o Adan and Iôn o Adan." She continued. "And more, like what Phoenix used to call me, but I don't know what it means."

"What is it?" Tauriel asked.

"She always said it after she put me to bed for the night, and she only ever said it to me." Tilda told her. "Tye innas ui no moina di nin."

Tauriel smiled. "It means 'you will always be safe with me'." Tauriel told her. "Phoenix loved you all and she would have protected you for longer if she could."

Tilda nodded and she suddenly started crying and Tauriel found herself pulling the young child onto her lap to comfort her, happy that the young child was now letting her emotions go so easily.

They did not know how long they stayed there, but by the time the older siblings and Bard came back to wish them good night and to give them the news that he was going to war in the morning, Tilda had fallen asleep on the she-elf.

"Do you want me to take her Tauriel?" Sigrid asked.

"No thank you Sigrid." Tauriel told her. "I am fine, and your sister is a nice distraction."

Sigrid smiled softly as she sat next to Tauriel and rested her head on the elf's shoulder. "Did Phoenix ask you to watch us?"

"She did." Tauriel nodded. "And I am not going to leave you three alone, not yet."

Sigrid smiled and closed her eyes with a soft sigh. "Thank you, mellon nín." She whispered, before she too fell asleep against the she-elf and Tauriel smiled, it seemed that Phoenix had passed her language to the daughters easily enough and she watched as the brother came back inside and got back into his own bed. He looked annoyed at Bard telling him that he could not come to war, but Tauriel knew that Bard only wanted to protect his children and she almost admired him for it. So Tauriel stayed where she was, watching over the children as she had promised Phoenix, making sure that they were all alright. However, the next morning, Bard woke his children up to promise them he would return and that they should all do as Tauriel says whilst she is here and Tauriel was happily enough to agree. Once he was gone, all was quiet, Sigrid going to help Hilda, Bain going off to help his sister and Tauriel staying with Tilda who did not feel like doing anything but talking in Elvish and learning new words which Tauriel was happy to join in with. However, come the afternoon, both Tauriel and Tilda heard the commotion about a fire ranger, and Tilda was on her feet much quicker than Tauriel expected and she was running in the direction of the gossip with Sigrid, Bain and Tauriel following after her, however they froze as they heard the clatter of hooves coming through the city and Tilda's cry of joy.

"Phoenix!"

Maybe there was hope for this battle after all.

 **Translations**

Bain aur : Good morning

Bain dû : Good night

Iell o Adan : Daughter of man

Iôn o Adan : Son of man

Tye innas ui no moina din nin : You will always be safe with me

Mellon nin : My friend


	17. Chapter 17

Armed for War

He stood at the top of the barricade, dressed in fine royal armour as he watched the league of elves and men gather in front of his kingdom. Then he saw him, the elf king who had abandoned his people long ago, back to take his throne! He looked down at the bow at his feet; it was her bow, Phoenix's bow, but for some reason he could not remember how he had come to acquire it. The arrows were his of course but it was her bow, built only for her. Looking at it, he did not see the woodland sprite and the bowman ride forward.

"Hail Thorin, King under the Mountain!" Bard shouted. "Why have you not kept your promise?" Bard asked. "We do not mean to rob you, we only ask for what you promised us."

"How am I supposed to believe that when you turn up on my doorstep with an army?" Thorin asked, letting his eyes glance around for Phoenix, some part of him still free from the stone's control wanting to know that she was okay. Yet Thranduil seemed to know what he was looking for and he was quick to offer a rebuff.

"She is dead Thorin." Thranduil told him. "Little Phoenix is dead."

Everyone looked at him and shock, before the dwarves around Thorin seemed to wilt away and Thranduil smiled to himself as he saw the youngest dwarf even shed a tear. As the news sank in to Thorin, he felt the stone take full control, banishing that small part of him that held hope for Phoenix from his mind and he did not attempt to stop it.

 _She's dead Oakenshield, you've lost her, but you will not lose me…_

The voice was loud inside his head, taking over his senses, clouding his judgement, making him lose his mind. The voice was so alluring that Thorin no longer cared what happened to him, if he was to go mad then that would be a blessing, just so he did not feel the pain that would come from losing Phoenix.

He did not realise that Bard was asking for a trade until he heard his nephew Kili's voice.

"Thieves!" He shouted and Thorin looked down, seeing the Arkenstone in Bard's hands, and as he was about to lose an arrow on the bowman, he heard Bilbo's voice.

"No Kili, they aren't thieves, I gave it to them." Bilbo told them.

"You would steal from me?" Thorin asked him, looking at the small Hobbit and he did not even recognise his own voice.

"No…I took it as my fourteenth share." Bilbo told him. "I may be a burglar, but I like to think that I'm an honest one."

"You miserable maggot!" Thorin suddenly thundered.

"I was going to give it to you." Bilbo told him, his voice calm as he tried to put into practice the advice Phoenix gave him on a night long ago about being calm in the face of danger, and this was certainly dangerous. "Many times I wanted to, but I couldn't."

"And why not, thief?" Thorin demanded.

"Because you are changed Thorin!" Bilbo told him. "The dwarf that I met back in Bagend would never go back on his word and he certainly wouldn't doubt the loyalty of his kin!"

Meanwhile, whilst there was a standoff outside of Erebor, Phoenix awoke to find that she was lying on the bank of the lake that used to surround Laketown. Looking around as she sat up, she felt the water in her hair already drying up with the heat of her gift, and she looked around, before she looked over at Laketown. It was nothing but smouldering ashes now, and bodies littered both the water and the bank around her. She recognised some of the people, they had been her friends, but now they were nothing but bodies and she did not have the ability to bring them back, no matter how much she wanted to. Getting herself out of the ice cold water, she walked along the bank, surprised to find her swords still in place in her belt as she walked, occasionally whistling as she walked.

"Well, this is a mess." She said to herself and eventually she stopped hearing the patter of hooves on the ground and she found Carnahan running towards her. The horse only stopped once he was close enough for Phoenix to climb into the saddle and once she was comfortable, they were off again. As they rode towards Erebor, they found the note that Tauriel had left, and they travelled on to Dale where they found the women and children waiting, as she rode through the city, people started to talk and whisper.

"It's Phoenix." One whispered.

"Our saviour." A woman called.

"God bless you fire ranger!" Another man cried out.

As she got to the centre of the city, she suddenly heard a cry, which came out more like a scream, but she knew the voice well.

"Phoenix!"

The voice could only come from Tilda and Phoenix stopped her horse before she jumped down just in time for her youngest goddaughter to run into her, hugging her as tears spilt onto her clothing.

"Tilda." Phoenix smiled in relief, kissing her goddaughter on top of her head. "Young one, where is your sister and your brother?" She asked.

"Phoenix!" Sigrid suddenly shouted, running over and Bain also joined them and they all hugged her, grateful that she was alright.

"You're alive!" Bain shouted in relief.

Phoenix hugged them all back happily, and she kissed their foreheads before she looked ahead and saw Tauriel watching them.

"Hantadh an cened ab ti." She told Tauriel.

"Nalyë dae alatulya." Tauriel replied with a soft smile that had Phoenix going back to hugging her godchildren with abandon.

They stayed in the city for a while longer, Phoenix being dragged by her goddaughters to their new home where Bain had managed to find her some armour that was made of a sturdy steal looking material but light as a feather and she recognised it as mithril, a kingly gift to be given by anyone and Sigrid made sure that Phoenix was given some food in order to ensure her strength and the children all watched as Phoenix put on the mithril vest under her usual white shirt, before she put on her usual clothing and she left her dark curls to run down her back but she put a braid on either side of her head. Looking back at the children she saw the worry in the youngest ones face and she gave her a smile.

"I will be alright." She promised her as she fastened her weapons belt to her waist and she gently touched Tilda's cheek. "I need you to be strong now." She told her.

"Do not leave us so soon." She pleaded.

"Everything will be alright." Phoenix told her. "Your father and I will return when this is over." She looked over at the two eldest. "I need you two to look after her, and each other, can you do that for me?"

"Of course Phoenix." Bain told her as Sigrid nodded, trying to hold back her own tears of worry over the only remaining family member left to go to war.

Phoenix saw the tears threatening to fall and she pulled her eldest goddaughter into a hug and she whispered in her ear. "No tears, be strong, like your mother and your father."

Sigrid nodded, wiping away her tears, before she watched Phoenix grab her daggers and a bow and arrows that someone pulled from the armoury of Dale, before she walked back out to her horse.

"Tauriel, are you coming?" She asked the red haired elf behind her.

Tauriel looked at her and she nodded. "Is there a horse that I could ride?"

"Here Miss Elf." A boy walked over, pulling along a white coloured horse, already tacked up for her.

"Thank you young one." Tauriel smiled and she climbed into the saddle before she looked at Phoenix as she attached her weapons.

"Are you ready to go to battle?" Phoenix asked her.

"I am." Tauriel nodded.

Phoenix nodded and she looked at Bard's children. "I will be back soon, look after each other." She then looked at Tauriel. "Let's go." Together they both nudged their horses into action and they were suddenly flying towards the battle field, away from the apparent and current safety of the city of Dale to the place where they were not sure whether they would live or die.

However, back at the gates of Erebor, only Bilbo was in danger of dying so far as Thorin looked at him and he was seething before he looked at his company.

"Throw him from the rampart!" He ordered.

The company around him all seemed nervous about moving, they had lost Phoenix and now they had to kill their burglar, their young Hobbit.

"Did you not hear me?" Thorin bellowed, looking at his men, before he tried to drag Fili forward to finish his command, but Fili got out of his grip and then he heard the voice again.

 _He has betrayed you; he deserves death, a slow and painful death, do it! Do it now!_

"Fine, I will do it myself!" Thorin sneered and he grabbed the front of Bilbo's clothing, and as all of the dwarves around him tried to stop him, a voice suddenly sounded and they all looked to find Gandalf walking through the crowd of elves and men to stand between Thranduil and Bard.

"If you do not like my burglar, then please do not damage him, return him to me!" Gandalf's powerful voice rang out through the mountain sides.

"This is the last time that I have dealings with wizards or Shire rats!" Thorin bellowed, though he let Bilbo go due to Gandalf's distraction and Bofur got him out of Thorin's way.

"Go, quickly." Bofur encouraged and Bilbo climbed down the side of the barricade the dwarves had built and he ran straight to Gandalf's side.

Everything was quiet for a few seconds before there was the sound of hooves on the dirt road and everyone looked for the source and what they found surprised them all. It was Phoenix and Tauriel!

"Phoenix!" Fili shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Tauriel!" Kili shouted, just as loud as his brother and they watched as both of the women stopped their horses beside Gandalf and Bilbo.

"Hail Thorin, King under the Mountain!" Phoenix shouted up to him. "Will you council with me?" She called up to him.

Thorin looked at her and he could not quite believe it, Thranduil had lied, she was not dead, she was alright, she was alive! Yet there was still the voice of the stone in his head.

 _This is a trick! It is their attempt to keep the stone!_

"Thorin, will you speak with me?" Phoenix asked again.

Thorin gave her a curt nod, before he left the bridge and he walked down the steps to where they could talk, as he left the barricade, Phoenix got down from her horse, yet before she could get too far away, Gandalf caught her.

"Take care, he is not himself." Gandalf warned and after receiving the warning, Phoenix nodded before she walked over to the barricade, smiling to herself in relief at seeing all of the dwarves she knew to be there unharmed.

She walked along the barricade looking for the hole that allowed for her to be able to talk to Thorin, and she soon found it and she saw him standing on the other side.

"I'm listening." He told her and Phoenix could tell that this wasn't her Thorin, the dwarf that she loved.

"Why do you barricade yourself behind a wall of stone?" She asked him.

"What I do is none of your concern." Thorin sneered.

"It is my concern." She told him. "Do you not remember what you told me back in Rivendell, those many moons ago, or what you told me in Laketown?" She asked him.

"Do not trick me, demon." Thorin growled. "I spoke nothing to you."

"I am no demon." She told him. "Thorin, it is me, it is your Phoenix." She told him. "Why do you not see me?" She asked.

"You are an illusion!" Thorin accused. "You are the real whore's child. My Phoenix is dead." He sneered. "You're a whore, a good for nothing whore!"

His words tore through her and she could feel the eyes of everyone behind her as they heard all of the things that were being said.

"I know that you are still in there, Thorin, somewhere, I know that the gem has poisoned your mind, but I want you to know that I love you and that I know you will fight this sickness that is taking over your mind." She told him before she walked back towards the group behind her.

"I've warned you." Thranduil told her as she got her weapons from the saddle of her horse before she hit Carnahan on his behind so that he could run to safety as Tauriel done the same to her own horse. "No one could ever love you."

Phoenix paused for a second, but she didn't look at anyone but the floor and instead, she looked over at Tauriel, Gandalf, Bard and Bilbo.

"You're wrong." She told him, looking up at him, however this caused for her to receive a kick to her face from Thranduil in his anger at her ignorance. No one commented on it, but Phoenix actually smirked, before she walked towards Gandalf, Bilbo, Tauriel and Bard. She watched as Tauriel and Kili caught each other's eyes and they seemed to stare longingly at each other before they looked away as Thorin joined his nephew.

Phoenix looked over at Bard as he moved his horse forward to address Thorin and Phoenix watched as a raven flew overhead and even she knew that that wasn't a good sign.

"So Thorin, will you have peace or war?" Bard shouted up to him, just as the sound of stamping feet and marching came from the hill and everyone looked to the side to where it came from and found a dwarven army coming towards them.

"I will have war." Thorin shouted.

"Oh for fucks sake," Phoenix muttered and Tauriel looked slightly alarmed at the language Phoenix used, but she did not comment on it.

When the dwarves realised who had come to their aid, they gave a cry of applause and welcome to the leader who was riding forwards on a large wild boar.

"Ironfoot," Gandalf murmured.

"This isn't going to go well." Phoenix told him as Thranduil suddenly shouted for his men to turn on the oncoming dwarves and be ready for battle as he rode to stand in the midst of them. But Tauriel did not move, she stayed close to Phoenix, looking to her for guidance, but Phoenix's eyes stayed on Thorin as she felt Gandalf and Bilbo leave her side and walk towards the oncoming dwarves.

"Who is that?" Bilbo asked. "He doesn't look happy." He observed, looking towards the lead dwarf of the oncoming army.

"That is Dain, Lord of the Ironhills, Thorin's cousin." Gandalf told them,

"Are they alike?" Bilbo asked.

"I always found Thorin to be the more agreeable of the two." Gandalf told him and Bilbo suddenly found himself agreeing with Phoenix, this was going to be anything but easy.

"Good morning." Dain called, looking at the armies outside of Erebor. "How are we all?" He asked, obviously not expecting an answer. "I have a wee proposition for you." He told them. "Would you mind just sodding off?" He shouted and Phoenix felt Tauriel jump. "All of you, right now!"

Phoenix rolled her eye sat the dwarf's request before she looked behind her as she heard Bard tell all of his men to stand their ground and then she heard Gandalf.

"Come now, Lord Dain." He told him, walking forward slightly so that he could be seen by the dwarf.

"Gandalf the Grey," Lord Dain mused. "Tell this rabble to leave, or I will water the ground with their blood." He threatened.

"There is no need for violence." Gandalf told him. "At least not between dwarves, men and elves, so stand your army down, there are much worse problems approaching."

"I will not stand down before an elf, let alone this faithless, woodland sprite!" He jeered, pointing at Thranduil and even Phoenix smiled at hearing the names the elvish king was given. "He wishes nothing but ill upon my people! So if he chooses to stand between me and my kin, I will split his pretty head open and see if he is still smirking then!"

His threat brought cheers from the dwarves on the barricade of the mountain.

"This dwarf is clearly mad, like his cousin." Thranduil told them and Phoenix reached for the handle of her sword, ready to split Thranduil's head open herself, but Tauriel rested a hand on hers as it reached the hilt of her sword.

"You hear that lads, we're on!" Dain shouted.

However, there was suddenly an earth shaking cracking sound as the ground shook beneath them and Phoenix and Tauriel fought to stay on their feet just as everyone else did and then there was a cry that had them covering their ears and everyone looked around in worry for the source. Whilst Kili looked down at Tauriel, and he watched Phoenix help her to remain on her feet as the other dwarves, save for Thorin, all looked at Phoenix to make sure that she was also okay. This battle had definitely now begun!

 **Translations**

Hantadh an cened ab ti : Thank you for looking after them

Nalyë dae alatulya : You are very welcome


	18. Chapter 18

Battle for the King

Tauriel and Phoenix used each other for support as the earth suddenly seemed to explode at the mountain ridge and suddenly worms sprang up out of the ground, screaming harshly into the light.

"Were-worms," Gandalf muttered.

Everyone watched as the worms disappeared back into the ground and suddenly the tunnels that they had made were over overflowing with orcs.

"Oh come on!" Dain shouted before he looked back at his own men. "Come on lads; let's give these bastards a good hammering!" He rode ahead with his men and Bilbo looked at Gandalf.

"Gandalf, will the elves not fight?" He asked.

Gandalf looked at the elves as they stood still, and he looked over at Thranduil, but before he could ask him anything, a voice rang out, speaking Elvish and Gandalf recognised it as Phoenix's voice.

"Maeth di nin!" She shouted to the elves that were still stood still. "Nányë brethil o Mirkwood ye inyë maquet han de maeth ar nin sír!" She shouted to the elf soldiers and the dwarves and men around them all looked at her like she was mad, they did not know what she was saying but she knew it was supportive to the elves around her.

"Mai de nanquer hi, de ava gar maetha egar cuio di indë ui ad!" Phoenix continued. "Ta i innas maeth di enni!"

"Inyë innas." Tauriel told her and as they moved together, getting their weapons ready, they found that other elves were following them.

Kili watched them and he grew worried as Tauriel uncovered her fighting daggers and he almost jumped over the barricade to follow her. Everyone watched as the dwarf army set up a barricade of their own with their shields and at the final moment, Phoenix, Tauriel and a whole onslaught of elves jumped over the barricade and started to fight in battle.

As they fought, the dwarves with them suddenly ran forward and they were fighting alongside the elves. Back on the barricade of Erebor, Fili looked at his brother and the other dwarves and he saw the looks of hope for the survival of Phoenix and Tauriel on their faces and he himself had had enough of doing nothing.

"I'm going over the wall, who is with me?" He asked.

"Aye!" They all shouted, but Thorin was having none of it.

"Stand down." He growled.

"Aye?" Dwalin asked.

"But Uncle-"Kili started.

"No, I said stand down!" Thorin told them before he walked down the steps and back to his throne in Erebor. Dwalin ended up following him as he left and he reached him as he sat down in his throne.

"Dain and his men are out there and they are being slaughtered." Dwalin told him.

"It is not our fight." Thorin told him as he sat in his throne.

"Your lover is out there, your kin is out there and without our help they stand no chance!" Dwalin shouted. "Thorin, we have to help them, please!"

 _They are fine, he's lying...Dain did not come to your aid the first time, why should you come to his?_

"Dain did not come to our help when we needed him, so why should I return the favour?" Thorin asked.

"Dain might not have helped us, but what about Phoenix?" He could see the small part of Thorin who was still somehow holding on to hope for his lover surviving, but it quickly vanished.

 _She left you...She died and left you!_

"My lover is dead." He growled. "We will remain in this fortress and move the gold into the lowest level, that way it will be safe."

"Do you not hear me?" Dwalin asked.

"I am the King!" Thorin suddenly thundered. "You will forget about what happens outside of these walls, and you will do as I command and hide our precious gold deeper underground, where no one but we can find it!" Thorin yelled.

Dwalin stood his ground, but there were tears in the dwarf's eyes. "I thought you were my king." He told him. "I looked up to you, I respected you, you were always my king, but now, I don't even know what you are now." He told him, before he quickly wiped his tears and left the throne room, going back to where the other dwarves were all sitting around, looking sad as they heard the battle raging on the other side of the wall.

"Are we to fight?" Fili asked him and he looked down at the ground as Dwalin shook his head and everyone started to take off their armour.

"We need Phoenix here; she could keep the dark magic at bay...maybe." Ori told them.

They all agreed with the young dwarf, but ended up reducing themselves to believing that their friends were now going to die for them and they were going to hide behind the wall like cowards. Kili was not ready to let Tauriel die, at least not without him at her side but for now he sat on a piece of broken wall, his blood boiling.

As his nephew let his blood boil, Thorin's head was starting to hurt; he had found himself in the corridor which now had a floor of gold, after they tried to stop the dragon with his own gold. He was admiring it, before suddenly there was a searing pain in his head and he was suddenly overcome by voices.

 _Many die in war...Life is cheap...But a treasure such as this cannot be counted in lives lost._

The voice of the stone rang out loudest of all, forcing him to succumb to its power, until he heard another voice.

 _I love you Thorin...You are a strong dwarf, who cares for his people..._

He recognised it as Phoenix's voice and he looked around for the source, expecting her to be there and suddenly she was. He saw Phoenix, sitting on the ground, with her back to him, little did he know, what he saw, was anything but his lover.

"Phoenix." Thorin smiled. "We have done it Phoenix, the mountain is ours." He told her, running over and he fell to his knees beside her.

"No, _we_ have not." She whispered.

"Of course we have." He told her. "Look; we are in one of the great halls." He told her and he watched as she tilted her head slightly to look up. "Why will you not look at me?" He asked her.

"Because you care more for your Arkenstone and your gold than me," She told him, her voice a whisper.

"No, never," He told her and him suddenly got the shock of his life when she turned around and he found her front stained in blood, two arrows going through her chest. "Phoenix!" He grabbed her, pulling her to him. "What done this?" He asked, trying to stop the blood.

"You did." She told him, before she went still, and suddenly her body disappeared but Thorin's hands still looked to be covered in her blood.

"No..." Thorin stared at his hands as he threw himself to his feet. "No!" He shouted, before he suddenly put his hands on either side of his head as he heard more voices, those of his friends and of his enemies, taunting him.

" _You were always my king, but even now you cannot see what you have become_." Dwalin's voice rang out and Thorin looked around for the source, but found no one.

"Go, leave me!" Thorin shouted, his voice bordering on despair.

" _You sit here with a crown on your head, but you are lesser now than you have ever been_." Balin's voice started to taunt him.

" _A treasure such as this cannot be paid for with any number of lives_." He suddenly heard his own voice, repeating the words of the stone.

" _A sickness lies upon this treasure._ " Balin's voice suddenly shouted.

" _The blind ambition of a mountain king,"_ Bard's voice rang out.

" _Am I not the king?"_ His own voice could be heard shouting through the darkness. " _It is ours_." His voice continued to echo and Thorin felt himself getting weak and as he fell to his knees, he heard the voice he loved the most.

" _You are not your grandfather, you are stronger than that, and you are Thorin, Son of Thrain, Son of Thror, the rightful king under the mountain."_ Phoenix's voice rang out and he clung onto her words like they were his only lifeline.

"I am not my grandfather." Thorin whispered. "I am not my grandfather." He repeated, louder this time and he felt his strength returning to him.

 _No...What are you doing!_

He heard the voice shout, but Thorin shouted right back at it. "I am not my grandfather!" He suddenly shouted.

" _Your lover is dying out there_." Dwalin's voice suddenly shook him to the core and it pulled him straight out of his trance.

"Phoenix!" Thorin suddenly shouted, ripping off his king robes and throwing his crown to the side. As soon as his kingly clothes and crown were gone, he felt his old self be restored. Looking down to his sword, he knew that he had to make things right, and he had to start with his kin.

Meanwhile, the battle outside of Erebor was not going on Phoenix's side or Dain's, many elves and dwarves had been slaughtered so far and Phoenix could tell that there was no chance that any of them could survive. There were too many orcs! For every two she killed, another ten came at her. She somehow kept her eye on Tauriel, but suddenly she became distracted as she saw Bard almost get hit by something that threw him from his horse. As he landed on the floor, an orc was about to slice his neck open, but was suddenly killed by Phoenix's sword as she threw it at the orc, before she went back to fighting. At a spare moment, she ran over to Bard and picked up her other sword.

"Go back and defend the city." She told him. "Protect Sigrid, Tilda and Bain, we will be alright."

Bard nodded and he looked at his men. "To the city, follow me!" He shouted and both he and his army of men ran back towards the city.

"Phoenix."

Phoenix turned just in time to see Gandalf and Bilbo running towards her, Bilbo holding his sword with a shaky hand.

"I will find you both after this, be it in this life or the next." She told them and she rested a hand on Bilbo's shoulder. "Hold that sword tight young Hobbit, this is your story." She told him and Bilbo watched as she ran back to fight. As she fought, she found herself back to back with Tauriel and both of them watched as the elves abandoned them on the battle field, but for once, Tauriel did not think twice of disobeying her king. Suddenly they heard Dain's voice over the commotion.

"Fall back to the gate!" He shouted and Phoenix and Tauriel moved back towards the gate, standing on the front line with the dwarf lord and his men, their weapons ready. Suddenly Tauriel asked a question that caught Phoenix off guard, as it seemed very un-Tauriel.

"Caro tye gara guruthos?" Tauriel asked, taking her eyes off of the advancing orc army for a second to look at the warrior at her side.

"Penin caro tye?" Phoenix asked.

"Ná." Tauriel confirmed.

"Emmë ava fir sír." Phoenix promised and she and Tauriel shared a quiet smile, before they went back to facing the quickly advancing army.

Back inside the dark halls, Thorin found his company sitting upon fallen stone and as he got closer, his youngest nephew was on his feet and walking towards him. There were few times that Thorin had seen Kili angry, but this was something else, this time he was furious!

"I will not hide, behind a wall of stone, whilst other people fight our battles for us!" Kili suddenly yelled, his full anger hitting Thorin like a war hammer, why had he caused his own nephew such distress?

"It is not in my blood, Thorin." Kili told him, but now the two had almost closed the gap between each other and Thorin could see how desperate his nephew was to get out onto the battlefield and he vaguely wondered why. As the two came face to face with each other, Thorin looked at his nephew and he felt pride in the youngest of the line of Durin, he certainly had the spirit.

"No." Thorin spoke, resting a hand upon his nephew's shoulder. "It is not." He told them and he saw Kili's bravado falter. "We are sons of Durin, and Durin's folk do not flee from a fight."

Kili nodded his head and he started to smile, before he and his uncle pressed their foreheads together, the most contact that they needed to show their love for each other, before Fili watched as Thorin addressed the other dwarves.

"I do not deserve your loyalty." He spoke to them. "But will you fight with me, one last time?" He asked.

The dwarves around him all got to their feet and grabbed their weapons.

"Aye lad, we will fight with our king." Balin told him.

Thorin smiled, before he looked at Ori who uttered a small question.

"How do we get out of here?" He asked.

Thorin glanced around before he noticed the bell of Erebor still hung from the rafters. "We ring the bells of war."

The dwarves smiled as they caught on to the meaning of his words and they all set about cutting the ties that held the bell. They waited in patience as Bombur blew the horn to signal that the army of Erebor was to fight, and suddenly they cut the final rope and the bell came crashing down into the barricade. As the barricade fell, Thorin lead his company out of Erebor, holding his sword high, shouting a war chant as he sprinted forward.

"Du Bekar!" Thorin shouted as the small army advanced from inside Erebor, taking the army outside by surprised.

"To the King!" He heard Dain shout and suddenly he was running alongside his cousin, his cousin's army and straight into the enemy lines. Focused clearly on the battle, refusing to panic when he did not see his love, but he saw what made his nephew so upset. The red haired she-elf was fighting with them, and he praised that some help had come even if it was one elf. But for now he had to focus upon fighting, and that was not going to be easy, but he knew that his nephews and his lover, wherever she had ended up, could look after themselves, he just had to believe that he himself could survive long enough to join them when this was over. If this was ever going to be over.

 **Translations**

Maeth din nin : Fight with me

Nányë brethil o Mirkwood ye inyë maquet han de maeth ar nin sír : I am a princess of Mirkwood and I ask that you fight beside me this day

Mai de nanquer hi, de ava gar maetha egar cuio di indë ui ad : If you turn back now, you will not be able to fight or live with yourselves ever again

Ta i innas maeth di enni : So who will fight with me

Inyë innas : I will

Caro tye garo guruthos? : Do you have a fear of death?

Penin caro tye? : No, I haven't, do you?

Ná : Yes

Emmë ava fir sír : We will not die today

Du bekar! : To arms!


	19. Chapter 19

Saving the Line of Durin

War raged around them, so much that none of them could think of anything other than to survive. When they could spare a fleeting glance, all of their eyes locked. Four pairs of eyes that searched for their loved ones across the field of battle and death. Kili and Tauriel were the first to find each other, and they fought together, as two archers, a dwarf and an elf, side by side. Thranduil had taken all of the elves back to defend Dale and yet she had stayed. She had defied her King's orders once again, for him, and it swelled his heart to know that she was fighting not just beside him, but for him. It was not only he who had seen his love; Thorin was across the battle from his true love. Thorin searched and yet he could not see Phoenix, he swore that he had caught a glance at her dark and wavy hair moments ago, and then he saw her. She was fighting, her swords moving through the air like it took no effort at all, his heart swelled in love, but also in fear. The filth that she was fighting was twice the size of her even as she stood in her Elvish form, and despite her putting up a good fight she suddenly lost her balance and the filth threw her straight into a rock. As she struggled to her feet, Thorin ran towards her, as she reached for her swords, Thorin jumped onto the rock she had landed against and he launched himself at the creature, twisting his own sword around to stab it straight in the neck. Black fluid oozed from the wound, soaking the bottom of his tunic and his pants, before he jumped down as the corpse fell to the floor and he ran to Phoenix's side as she forced herself to her feet and grabbed her swords. Looking at each other, she twisted the band of gold on her wrist and she became her dwarf form, which had Thorin pulling her into his embrace as soon as she was almost the same height.

"Amrâlimê..." He whispered, looking to her for her answer, but before he could have it, he was suddenly tapped on the shoulder and as they both looked, he found Dwalin riding a ram and holding one out to him. As Thorin climbed into the saddle, Phoenix was the one who shielded him from harm. Looking over, he heard Dwalin and Fili calling for Kili as Fili too had a ram for his brother. Looking at the group, Phoenix suddenly realised where they were going - they were going up the mountain after Azog!

"Be careful." Phoenix and Tauriel told their dwarves, hoping that they would take heed at least once, before Phoenix climbed into Thorin's saddle.

At hearing the voice of his beloved elf, Kili took one of her hands and kissed it with a promise that he will and he rode off on his ram, his Uncle leading the charge, with Phoenix riding on the same saddle behind him. Suddenly a warg jumped at Thorin's ram and as Thorin swerved the ram to avoid it, the accompanying dwarves watched as Phoenix fell from the saddle.

"Phoenix!" Kili, Fili and Dwalin shouted, but no one shouted louder than Thorin did. As he shouted her name, he turned his battle ram around and held his sword high ready to attack the warg that dared to harm his beloved. Yet he found Phoenix getting to her feet quicker as an elf that he had ever seen and her swords were suddenly embedded in the warg's chest as it pounced on her. Pushing it off, she looked over at Thorin.

"Thorin, go!" She shouted and after one last look, Thorin turned and went with his small company towards Raven Hill and Phoenix returned to the battle. Their battle went on, and she suddenly found herself back to back with Dain.

"Elfling!" Dain shouted.

"What?" Phoenix asked, she was annoyed at being called an elfling, but she let it slide, a war was not the time to start another one just for one name sake.

"How fast can you get to Raven Hill?" Dain asked, taking the head off another orc with his hammer.

"Fast enough...Why?" She asked, cutting down a few more orcs.

"I want you to go and help my cousin." He shouted to her.

Phoenix nodded and she whistled as she stabbed her swords straight through another orc, and suddenly Carnahan bolted past and Phoenix was gone, taking the opportunity to jump onto the saddle.

"Come on Carnahan, to raven's Hill." Phoenix shouted and as she rode past, she managed to get Tauriel to jump up behind her. Riding together, they heard the shouting from the company as they urged them on and they made their way to raven's Hill.

Carnahan climbed the mountain with haste and carefulness as he went, Phoenix keeping tight hold of the reigns as Tauriel kept a tight hold on her. They reached the top of Raven's Hill in record time and Carnahan let his rider's keen Elvish hearing lead the way to Thorin, and as they broke onto the ledge they were on, Phoenix could not help but feel relieved that Thorin was still alright, but she vaguely wondered how Bilbo had gotten there before them when the last they had seen him, he had gone on to Dale with Gandalf, the men and the Elves, but for now, she let it slide.

"Thorin!" She shouted, as soon as her horse was close enough, she jumped clear of the saddle and as she jumped she changed forms before landing on the ground, now the size of a small dwarf.

"Phoenix." Thorin gasped, relieved to see her, especially after not having a chance to apologise for what he had said at the gate.

The minute her feet touched the floor, he was in front of her, a hand resting on one side of her face.

"Forgive me." He told her. "At the bridge, I was not myself."

"Hush now, it's alright." She told him, gently stroking a hand through a bit of his hair. "Amrâlimê," She whispered.

"Amrâlimê," He repeated, pressing his forehead to hers.

Suddenly, the sound of drums could be heard and an orc cry that had both Phoenix and Tauriel covering their ears to try and save them from the sound. Everyone looked over at the rock formation in front of them and they saw Azog and some of his followers, and he held something in his forked hand – Fili!

"This one dies first!" Azog growled, holding Fili up so everyone could see. "Then the brother!"

Phoenix physically had to hold both Tauriel and Thorin back when the white orc spoke, but even she felt the flames within her spark into life, ready to fight.

"And then you Oakenshield!"

The threat was almost enough to make Phoenix move, but over two thousand years on this earth had made her patient, so instead she held back the others, biding her time.

"You will die last!" Azog told him as he readied his blade and Fili.

Fili must have felt his end coming, because he looked at the group. "Go." He told them, though his voice was no more than a whisper, everyone heard it, along with sniffles that came from Dwalin and Bilbo. He was trying to be brave but Thorin and Phoenix saw through it, and Thorin shook his head, his body tense in the grip of his lover.

"Go!" Fili screamed and Phoenix heard Tauriel's intake of breath as Azog plunged his sword into Fili's body and she heard Thorin's gasp for air as he suddenly dropped the dwarf prince to the ground.

"Here ends your filthy bloodline." Azog shouted as he disappeared into the fortress.

The small group had no time to grieve, before they saw movement and Tauriel noticed it immediately.

"Kili!" She screamed to him, but he ignored her. Her scream of his other nephew's name brought Thorin into action and he readied his sword as Tauriel readied her daggers and they ran down to the frozen ice after Kili, helping each other fight any orc that came near them.

"Phoenix, go, you can save Fili." Bilbo told her.

Phoenix looked at him and she nodded before she gave a now confused Dwalin a quick glance which told him that she would explain later, before she ran down to the frozen lake and she made her way across it towards Fili's body. Checking him for signs of life, she found none, but this spurred her to act further as she rested her hands above his heart and closed her eyes. As her eyes closed, she felt energy flood her body like it never had before and as her skin gained an Elvish glow, she started to chant ancient words that resembled that of a prayer. As she chanted, she felt the energy flow through her straight into Fili and after a few moments, the once lifeless dwarf suddenly jerked awake and sat up nearly head butting her as he did so.

"Phoenix...How did you..." He started, but Phoenix cut him off.

"There's no time, we need to help Thorin." Phoenix gasped out, her skin losing its Elvish glow and she sounded exhausted, but she forced herself to her feet and she pulled him up as well, and together they followed the sound of Azog as he and Thorin battled it out on the ice. Phoenix and Fili worked side by side, with Phoenix occasionally changing size so that she missed the attacks of the orcs that tried to fight them, whilst Fili slashed like a dwarf possessed at any enemy until they fell at his feet. When their path was clear, they found Thorin and Azog battling it out across the ice and Thorin looked to be losing as Azog threw him to the ground.

"Thorin!" Fili shouted.

"NO!" Phoenix shouted as she got closer and all of a sudden she launched herself at the white orc, knocking him off balance and away from Thorin and to the ground where Phoenix ended up hitting the ice and possibly dislocating a shoulder.

At seeing Phoenix tackle the white orc, Fili ran to his uncle, picking up Thorin's sword as he went and he got him to his feet. When he was on his feet, Thorin was shocked to see the nephew that he had been thinking was dead a few minutes ago standing before him, and he automatically assumed that he was dead. At least, he did until he saw Phoenix fighting the white Orc and she was hit so hard that she slid along the ice and it snapped him out of the shock over Fili and he gripped his sword running with his nephew to his lover's aid. This time Thorin was thrown off and he landed on the ice next to Phoenix who was finding it hard to get up and not put her hands on the ice for fear of melting it. When Azog eventually threw Fili off, he advanced on the couple who had ended up grasping hands as they used each other to get to their feet and they readied their swords. Yet they looked at each other, if this fight claimed both of their lives they wanted to remember every small bit of their loved ones faces.

Meanwhile, in the fortress, Tauriel was still looking for Kili and she took down any orc that came near her, using her daggers.

"Kili!" She shouted as she walked out onto a ledge that used to be part of the inside of the fortress. She looked up at the surrounding structures, searching for any sign of her precious dwarf.

"Tauriel!"

She smiled in relief as Kili's voice rang out amongst the ruins, but her smile was short lived as there was a blow to her back and she fell into some rock stairs that had been in front of her. Letting out a cry of pain at the impact, she was suddenly picked up by her hair and thrown into a wall. Opening her eyes through the pain, she saw a creature almost as hideous as Azog himself, standing before her, his weapon shining in the remaining light. She forced herself to her feet and she grabbed a dagger, and she lunged at the creature, but he was quicker than she had expected and he grabbed her wrist, forcing her to drop her weapon and he hit her in the face with his fist, causing another cry of pain to come from the elf as she fell to the floor. As she watched the orc walk towards her, readying his sword for the final blow and she recognised him as Bolg, one of Azog's main fighters, and she tried to reach her weapons, for she would not go down without a fight. Only she did not get a chance as there was a flash of armour along the top balcony and suddenly a battle cry could be heard as Kili threw himself from a balcony above and onto Bolg's back, trying to get his sword to pierce the foul creature. Whilst Bolg was distracted by the dwarf, Tauriel tried to get herself to her feet and she almost succeeded, but she froze at seeing Kili thrown into the steps, yet she watched him get back up almost immediately and he went straight back into fighting.

Suddenly Bolg grabbed Kili and held him down as he readied his weapon to end the young dwarf's life. At seeing Kili in a position to end his life, Tauriel suddenly found her strength and she threw herself to her feet before she jumped onto the Orc's back, using Kili's weapon which she picked up as she moved, and she suddenly drove it into the back of the orc's neck. With a howl of pain, the Orc threw her off and into the wall once more, before he grabbed another weapon from his armour and he suddenly stabbed Kili in the chest. As he was stabbed, Kili choked on the air that he filled his lungs with, before he looked over at Tauriel as the world went black.

"Amrâlimê," He mouthed to her, before his world clouded over into darkness but the last thing he heard was his elf's scream and then there was nothing.

As Kili was tossed unceremoniously to the floor by Bolg, Tauriel suddenly screamed in fury as she launched herself at the creature, using her agility, she threw herself and the creature towards the edge of the cliff, determined to end his life even at the expense of her own. Bolg struggled under the elf's grip, but that did not stop Tauriel whose feet connected with a wall and she kicked off it with all her might, causing both her and Bolg to fall. She landed on rock and ice and she winced as she rolled down the hill to the edge. Now unable to move and with no weapons she was defenceless. Bolg meanwhile had pulled the weapon of the dead dwarf out from where Tauriel had almost embedded it in his neck, and he stalked towards her, yet as he reached her, he found a blur of blonde go past and suddenly he was confronted by Legolas, the elf prince, who had rushed to Tauriel's aid. As the orc and elf fought, Tauriel used all the strength she had to drag herself back to where she had left her dwarf and she made herself walk over to him, where she fell to her knees beside him, and she took a hand in his. As she looked upon his still form, she felt a deep pain in her chest and before she could stop them, tears fell from her eyes.

"Kili...Come back...Please..." She whispered through her tears as she felt the stone that he had given her press against her thigh from where it stayed in her pocket and she pulled it out, looking at it. "You promised to come back to me; you cannot just leave me now." She whispered. "Please come back." She whispered again. "I love you."

However, back down on the frozen lake, Tauriel's heart was not the only one that was being broken. Phoenix's heart was almost shattered as she was once again thrown off Azog and this time into Fili as he ran to help her whilst Thorin was trying to get back to him in order to finish him off.

"Thorin, the ice," Phoenix called over and as he looked, Thorin noticed that the ice in which Azog and he stood had broken away from the rest of it, so stepping off it, Thorin watched as Azog slowly sank into the water. As he floated under the ice, Thorin was suddenly tackled by Phoenix who hugged him tightly.

Fili smiled as he watched the two before he noticed something behind them on the ice, and suddenly there was an almighty cracking sound as the ice behind them suddenly exploded and Azog stood in its place.

"Thorin, Phoenix, look out!" Fili shouted and he watched as Phoenix tried to put herself between Thorin and the sword, but Thorin spun her back around and Phoenix watched as the sword went straight through her lover's back and the tip just touched her chest.

"Thorin!" Fili shouted, whilst Phoenix was in too much shock to register what had happened.

Meanwhile, Azog watched as Phoenix fell to her knees with her lover and he let out a ghoulish laugh, yet this only seemed to fuel a fury in Phoenix that she had never felt before. Looking up at the white orc, she saw Fili running and then he suddenly threw himself onto the back of the white orc, trying to get his sword at the right position to strike him down and avenge his beloved Uncle. However, this time Azog, grabbed him and held the dwarf above the ground, holding his sword to his throat.

"Vok glob!" Azog snarled, about to kill Fili once more.

Phoenix saw it and she looked down at the dying Thorin in her arms and she rested him on the ice, kissing his forehead.

"Hold on." She whispered, before she let out a scream and she threw herself at the White Orc. At the impact, Azog dropped Fili and both he and Phoenix fell back onto the ice, sliding away from the two dwarves.

As she got to her feet, she kept her eyes on the white orc who ran at her, and picking up a sword, Phoenix ran at him as well. Their swords clashed with loud clangs, their bodies pressed together in battle, their eyes shining with the determination to kill their opponent. This was not just a fight for the mountain any longer; this was a fight to the death. Again and again their swords clashed and again and again they broke apart. It was almost like a violent dance, a dance that brought bloodshed and pain. With each hit, blood was spilt, and Fili watched admiringly as Phoenix fought. She was quick, lethal, and insistent and she never missed her target. She was only making small cuts to Azog's legs, but Fili saw that they were started to have an effect. The white orc was slowing down, becoming weaker; Phoenix had him in a trap. He could not fight his way out, nor could he keep on his feet. Suddenly Phoenix slid under Azog and her sword cut deeply into his right ankle, and Azog fell to his knees, and this time he could not get back to his feet.

"Whore's imp," He cursed.

Phoenix looked at him as she got to her feet and she walked around to face him, her grip on the sword she held tightening.

"Thorin cut off your hand in a battle since past." She told him. "Now I will cut off your head." She hissed, readying the sword. "An nín ara ye seron." She told him, but she took one strong swing and beheaded the white orc in a single movement. As the body fell to the floor, she ran to Thorin who was now lying on his back after Fili pulled out the sword, and he was bleeding fast.

"Thorin," Phoenix gasped.

"Amrâlimê," He gasped out, reaching a hand up to place it on her right cheek to hold her face. "Forgive...Me..."

"There's nothing to forgive, you will be alright." Phoenix whispered to him, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

"No...This time I will not..." He soon went still as his eyes went glassy.

"Thorin!" Fili shouted shaking his uncle as tears fell from his eyes. "Don't leave me so soon."

Phoenix watched, before she suddenly straddled Thorin's waist and she used her hands and gently moved them down Thorin's chest from his neck and only stopped when she reached where his heart would be.

"Phoenix, what are you doing?" Fili asked, watching her and she done the same that she had to him.

Her hands linked themselves as she placed them upon Thorin's chest and her skin began to glow as she started to chant what sounded like a prayer.

 _'_ _O vorima ilma_

 _Ne i tuure antale laisi ana ilya onna_

 _Undu i kalina ho i kuu_

 _Ulya laisi at ana i atalante haran_

 _Ar hauta si laisi ta anta mi antulesse.'_

As she chanted, Fili watched as her skin started to glow and the glow seemed to travel through her hands and into Thorin who remained lifeless, until he suddenly jolted awake. And when he finally realised what had happened, all he could do was stare at Phoenix who looked like she was struggling to stay awake.

"Phoenix...How did you..." He asked he suddenly threw himself to catch as she almost fell forward.

"Whoa, easy Phoenix," Fili told her as he too rushed forward to catch her.

"You two...Need to help me find Kili and Tauriel...Something's happened." She managed to get out and Thorin nodded, pulling her to her feet and letting her lean on him as they followed Phoenix's directions to where they found Kili and Tauriel. When they found them, Tauriel was still crying as she held Kili's hand that now held the stone, but she never moved to acknowledge them.

"Tauriel..." Phoenix started.

"Save him, please save him." Tauriel whispered as both Thorin and Fili dropped Phoenix when they realised what had happened and that Kili was actually dead. Hitting the floor did not seem to bother Phoenix as she dragged herself over to the fallen dwarf and she found where his heart would be and as she had done with Fili and Thorin, she started her prayer, yet this time she did not shine as bright or seem to be able to keep it up as she kept starting over every few minutes.

"She is too weak."

The voice caused them all to turn and they found Thranduil and Legolas stood before them, watching the scene, but this seemed to make Phoenix continue as even as Thorin fell to her side and tried to stop her, she never did. Suddenly Kili's whole torso rose from the ground, like he was trying to get closer to Phoenix's hands, but he remained with his eyes shut.

"Kili?" Thorin asked, and smiled in relief as his nephew started to breath, almost like he was sleeping, before he slowly opened his eyes and the first pair of eyes he found was Tauriel. As he sat up, he suddenly grabbed the elf maiden by the back of her neck and pulled her towards him as he pressed his lips to hers in a deep and passionate kiss.

Everyone was overjoyed, and in fact no one but Legolas and Thranduil noticed that Phoenix collapsed until they found Legolas picking her up off of the ground. In his arms, even as an elf, she was tiny, but also limps in his arms, almost like a child's doll.

"What's wrong with her?" Fili asked.

"She has simply done too much." Thranduil spoke. "She attempted to stop the blaze upon the town of men at the lake before she came and joined you in your battle, and then had to save the remaining Sons of Durin, which has proved to be too much."

Thorin felt a pang of guilt in his chest as he realised that Phoenix only came back because of her promise to him and his Kin, that she was there until the end...What had he done?

"Where are you taking her?"

Fili's question suddenly snapped him out of his trance and he noticed that Legolas had started to walk away, carrying Phoenix with him.

"I am taking her down to be healed dwarf." Legolas told him.

"At least let us carry her, you don't even like her." Kili told him as he got himself to his feet with the help of his uncle and Tauriel. "You look like you're about to drop her."

"You lot have only just been brought back, you're more likely to drop her than I am." Legolas snuffed, before he continued walking and the dwarves had no choice but to follow, with Kili staying back a bit to keep close to Tauriel. They walked down the mountain, keeping up with Thranduil and Legolas quite easily considering those two were almost sliding down the mountain paths. Upon reaching the battle field, they found numerous amounts of injured dwarves and elves and many dead, but only then did Legolas put Phoenix down, in the line with the living and wounded. However, Thorin watched as no healers came near her and it made his blood boil. So after a few minutes of not even a dwarvish healer coming near, Thorin moved Phoenix's bangle and watched her body shorten into that of a dwarf and he picked her up in his arms, holding her close.

He brought her over to a patch of ground where Dwalin, Ori and Nori were putting up a tent, obviously on Fili's orders since he had taken charge whilst Thorin had stayed behind with Phoenix.

"Uncle, it's alright to bring her inside, we constructed a bed, well Tauriel and Kili made a bed." Fili told him.

"Good." He walked over to the bed as Fili pulled back the blankets and he lay Phoenix's body down with her head against the pillow. When she was lying down, Thorin watched as Tauriel removed Phoenix's weapons and outer cloak and boots and she hung them up nearby, whilst Thorin kept hold of one of her daggers. Kili pulled the blanket back over her and he looked over Phoenix as she lay there.

"She looks peaceful doesn't she?" Kili asked the crowd of Dwarves, Elf and the Hobbit and Wizard who had just joined them along with the rest of their company.

"Aye lad, she does." Dwalin told them as the other dwarves grumbled in agreement.

"Will all of you be quiet?" Thorin hissed. "You speak of her as if she is dead."

"Lad, we meant no offence." Balin told him.

"Still, you speak of her as if she has left this world when she is still here." Thorin looked at them and they all saw the mad grief and worry in his eyes for the half who lay in the bed, unmoving. "Leave us." He told them.

Everyone looked at him, and none wanted to leave him on his own with her but they needed to obey their king, so one by one they bowed and left, even Tauriel bowed and left with Kili. When everyone had gone, Thorin sat on the edge of the bed and he took one of Phoenix's hands.

"Amrâlimê..."He whispered to her. "I cannot condone what I have done, but I hope that you will forgive me?" He slowly moved a hand down to rest on her stomach. "I'm sorry to whatever life was in here."

"She will forgive you, dwarf. Like her mother, she has a forgiving nature."

The voice had him freezing and he spun around, grabbing Phoenix's dagger as he did so and he did not lower it even when he saw Thranduil stood in the doorway behind them.

"What do you want?" Thorin spat.

"To tell you that I have sent a messenger to Rivendell, Lord Elrond will want to hear of her fate." Thranduil told him as he walked into the room and stood on the other side of Phoenix. He watched her with a form of love that Thorin had not seen since his father was alive and looking at Dis. Wait, could Thranduil actually be related to Phoenix?

"She looks much more like her mother used to now." Thranduil sighed, before he turned away and left, leaving Thorin to sit back on the edge of the bed and keep watch over his beloved Elvish dwarf.

Thorin stayed at Phoenix's bedside for hours, and when it reached evening, his older nephew came into the tent, followed by Dain and they found him in the same position that he had been, only now he was playing with a strand of Phoenix's hair.

"Uncle, why don't you come and get some food, I will keep watch over her." Fili suggested.

"Thank you Fili, but no, I wish to watch over her, I don't want to miss a single change." Thorin told him.

"Oh Mahal, cousin, you need to eat, the elf thing will be there when you return." Dain told him. "After all, it isn't like she can go anywhere."

"Do not speak of her like that." Thorin told him, his voice cold. "One day she could be your queen, so you will show her some respect."

"Be reasonable Thorin, do you really think our people, or your sister for that matter, would allow you to marry someone like that?" He asked, gesturing to Phoenix.

"It will be my choice who I marry Dain, not yours, nor will it be anyone else's." Thorin told him. "Now leave us, the pair of you."

Fili bowed and before Dain could start up another argument, Fili dragged him out of the tent by his fur cape. From there, Fili joined his brother and Tauriel at a fire pit with the rest of his travelling companions.

"Where is Thorin, lad?" Dwalin asked.

"He refuses to leave Phoenix's side; he doesn't want to miss any of her healing." Fili told them.

"Then I will take some food to him." Tauriel told them as she got to her feet.

"Lass, are you sure that is a good idea?" Balin asked.

"Aye Tauriel, be wise about this, Thorin has almost torn into Dain, I don't think he is against doing the same to you." Fili told him.

"Tauriel, think about this." Kili urged.

"I will be fine, and besides he needs to eat." Tauriel told they and she took a bowl of the stew that Bofur had made and she walked into the tent that Phoenix and Thorin occupied.

When she walked in, she found Thorin to be back to calmness as he played with Phoenix's hair, and she coughed slightly to clear her throat.

"What is it, she-elf?" Thorin asked, his voice going cold, almost like he was steeling himself to be dragged away.

"I brought you some stew." She told him as she sat the bowl and spoon on a chair next to him. "You need to keep up your strength."

"Why are you being so kind?" Thorin asked and it was easy to see that she had surprised him with her actions about the food.

"Because it will do no one any good if you waste away as she heals herself." She told him. "I am not like the rest of my people; I am not oblivious to the troubles of the world."

Thorin nodded. "You care for my nephew as well?"

"Of course," She nodded. "He is the only person who has come into my life and loved me, for me." She told him. "Others only loved me for my talent."

Thorin smiled knowingly as he looked from Tauriel to Phoenix. "I know how you feel; I think that Phoenix feels the same way about me." He told her, gently smoothing a dark curl into place on the pillow. "She doesn't love me for my title, or my riches, she loves me for me."

"Phoenix certainly does have a taste for the less fine things in life." Tauriel smiled. "She told me about her valley and how she hoped to return there someday."

Thorin looked at Phoenix and his heart fell, did she not want to stay in Erebor with him and be his queen? Did she prefer solitude? He would definitely need to ask her before things got out of hand.

"I must get back to Kili, I do not want him to worry that you have decided to kill me." Tauriel spoke, breaking his thoughts and it made Thorin smile. Yes she was an elf of Mirkwood, but she was far kinder than any of her kin that Thorin had come across, he could never hurt this elf maiden.

"You have my protection." He told her. "If you wish to stay in Erebor, I will not stop you."

Tauriel bowed her head to hide the smile on her lips and she left him to his thoughts walking back to Kili and the other dwarves and she let out a soft laugh as Kili ran to her and pulled her into his arms the minute that she came into view.

"You're unharmed." Kili told her with a smile.

"Of course I am." Tauriel told him. "Your uncle was not going to hurt me."

"I know, but I still worried." Kili told her. "I didn't know if the sickness was still banished."

"Well it is, in fact he has given me his protection and offered me a place in Erebor if I do not want to return to Mirkwood." She told him and she saw the looks of shock that appeared on not just Kili, but the rest of the dwarves faces. "What?"

"Lass, for Thorin to offer you his protection, it is a surprising sight." Balin explained.

"Aye, he has never liked any elf what so ever, not after Thranduil abandoning our people when the dragon first attacked." Gloin told her.

"Yes, I remember, I wanted to help you, I was shocked when he said no." Tauriel told them.

"You were there?" Kili asked looking up at her as she moved to sit them both down by the fire.

"Well yes, I was not captain of the guard then, but I was still a high ranking warrior." She told him. "Elves allow their women to fight in wars, is it different for dwarves?" She asked.

"Very." Dwalin spoke. "No dwarrowdam ever fights with us."

"Why not?" Tauriel asked.

"Because there are so few," Fili told her. "Our women, like our children are precious to us."

"Oh." Tauriel seemed to think deeply about that. "But I hope that you will not try and force me to stay behind Kili." She told him.

"Tauriel, my love, I know what would happen to me if I did, and I do not enjoy the thought." He told her and it caused the group to laugh.

The rest of the night was filled with talking, laughing and simply enjoying each other's company; no dwarf thought that they would find good company with any elf, let alone someone like Tauriel. But in the light of the recent battle, no one was caring for species boundaries anymore, and that was how they wanted it to stay.

 **Translations**

Vok glob : Dwarf filth

An nín ara ye seron : For my king and lover

Phoenix's Prayer:

With everlasting starlight

By the power giving life to all creatures

Under the light from the crescent moon

Pour life back to the fallen king

And take this life that is given in return


	20. Chapter 20

A Father's Love

A father was never wrong, that Elrond was sure of. He had received word days ago that his daughter had taken ill after saving the remaining line of Durin from a never ending death. The news had come from Thranduil and while he knew the elvish king despised his daughter, he was glad that he had thought to tell him of his daughter's illness. So here he was; Lord Elrond himself, travelling to Erebor in armour, upon his horse as his daughter Arwen and the Lady Galadriel rode in a carriage behind with his guards. He was glad that his younger daughter had taken up the art of healing just like the Lady Galadriel, just so she could help her sister and it made him proud to know that the two had a rather unshakeable bond. They were nearing Erebor now, and the mountain loomed in the background and they were eager to see Phoenix. As they got closer, the saw the numerous amounts of dwarves, elves and orcs that had fallen, yet to be cleared away, and as they got closer they saw the numerous casualties. Despite the sadness that clung to the air like a disease to the lungs, the sight of Elf and Dwarf healers walking around aiding each other almost made Elrond smile.

"My Lord Elrond,"

The voice alerted him and he found Gandalf walking towards him with the small Hobbit in tow.

"Mithrandir," Elrond got off his horse as he spoke and they both greeted each other with.

"I did not know that you were coming here." Gandalf told him.

"Thranduil sent word that my daughter needed us, and Arwen and the Lady Galadriel could not wait to come." He gestured to the carriage where Arwen had gotten out whilst her father was otherwise occupied and the Lady Galadriel stood in the doorway.

"Lady Arwen." Gandalf bowed his head to the young elf as Arwen bowed her head to him and then he moved onto the Lady Galadriel. "My Lady," Gandalf told her, holding out a hand to help her down.

"Mithrandir," The Lady Galadriel bowed her head, accepting his aid down the carriage steps to the ground. "It is good to see you fully recovered."

"And you my lady." Gandalf smiled.

The group soon turned as a cough was heard behind them and they found Balin stood behind them. Upon seeing the Lady Galadriel, Balin immediately bowed in his typical Dwarvish greeting. "Balin, at your service," He told them with a bow and Bilbo saw that the elf's smile never faded.

"Ah Balin, this is the lady Galadriel, a high elf of Lothlórien." Gandalf introduced.

"Hello Balin." Lady Galadriel spoke with poise, beauty and her smile never left.

"And of course you remember the Lady Arwen and Lord Elrond." Gandalf gestured to the two other elves.

"Aye, I do." He bowed to them.

"Forgive my inability to wait any longer, but may I be shown to where my daughter is?" Elrond asked.

"Of course," Balin nodded and he led the elves, Hobbit and Wizard through the soldiers and healers and the wounded to a tent. "Thorin hasn't left her side, his cousin has taken to trying to force him away, but he refuses to move, his nephews bring him food to make sure that he keeps strong."

"He blames himself?" Arwen asked her voice soft.

"Aye Lady Arwen," Balin nodded. "He blames himself for the whole series of events."

"Do explain master Balin." Elrond told him; for once his voice was tight, like he was subduing his own anger at the Dwarf King.

"Ada..." Arwen told him, trying to keep him calm.

"He said words to her that shouldn't have been said...he abandoned her to fight on her own...she saved his nephews and himself from eternal sleep."

"She loves him." The Lady Galadriel spoke up. "After over 2000 years, she had found someone to claim her heart."

Everyone looked at the elf like she had gone mad, but there was also some form of relief hidden on the faces of the elves.

As they entered the tent, they found that there was only two pieces of furniture in there; one was a large and comfortable looking bed and a chair. In the middle of the bed, lay a still unconscious Phoenix, her armour still in place, her weapons had been somehow hung in the corner of the room, along with the weapons that clearly belong to someone else, and then they saw him. Thorin was stood in the corner close to the bed, he looked to have been pacing but his eyes never seemed to leave the unconscious Phoenix. Arwen gasped softly as she saw the state of her sister's soft pale skin, covered in cuts and gashes that were quickly becoming infected; there was still rubble in her hair from the fight at Raven's Hill. No one had cleaned her up or tended to her wounds and they all soon realised why. This was why Thranduil had contacted Elrond; he did not want any of his healers to touch an illegitimate child! However, her gasp had alerted Thorin, who spun round to face them, pulling a dagger from his belt in order to defend the woman in the bed and Elrond recognised it to be a dagger that belonged to Phoenix.

"Relax Thorin, it's her family." Gandalf told the dwarf, who relaxed slightly and put the dagger on the edge of the bed.

"King Thorin, may I speak to you alone, whilst my daughter and the Lady Galadriel take care of my daughter's wounds?" Elrond asked him, and the forced calmness in his voice put Thorin on edge but he reluctantly agreed. Having Thorin walk out of the tent with Lord Elrond, the wizard, Balin and the Hobbit, allowed for the Lady Galadriel and Arwen to examine Phoenix's wounds properly and as they peeled back the blankets the found the sheets underneath covered in a black substance which had them hurry with their work in order to find the cause.

Whilst the women were occupied, the two males walked along a path, through elves and dwarves and occasionally men, until they reached an area where they would not be overheard and Elrond looked up at the gates of Erebor.

"You wished for us to speak?" Thorin asked; he was nervous to leave Phoenix alone for very long after wanting to be there when she woke up.

"I did, I wish to know what happened to my daughter." Elrond told him immediately.

Thorin felt his whole body go rigid, he had never heard the elf lord be so blunt or that straight to anyone but now he saw where Phoenix got it from. But now he was nervous, he needed the elf lord's approval if he was to have any hope of being with Phoenix, and what he was about to tell him would certainly have not allowed Thorin to have any man court a daughter of his, he just hoped that Lord Elrond was nicer than he was.

"My Lord Elrond, I can honestly say that what happened to your daughter was my fault, but I swear that it wasn't my intent." Thorin told him. "I love your daughter too much to cause this much pain to her willingly.

Elrond felt his heart swell, since she was young, and became of age to court anyone, he had never heard anyone say anything good about Phoenix apart from the fact that she could fight like a proper warrior. But to hear someone exclaim their love for her, it was like a sweet song that he never thought that he would hear. But there was something that darkened his joy, Thorin needed to know who Phoenix was and her full story that not even Phoenix knew.

"Thorin, there is something that I must tell you about my daughter." Elrond told him.

"What is it?" He asked. "She isn't betrothed to someone is she?"

"No, alas no one would have my daughter except you; you two are truly destined to be together." Elrond told him. "Phoenix is no relation to me at all." Elrond told him. "Her mother was my best friend." He sighed. "One night she went out riding and was shot down by an arrow from a dwarf." Thorin looked appalled that a dwarf could do something like that, but he did not dare to interrupt the story. "Her mother was too weak to fight back, and this dwarf was relentless, he tied her up, beat her and raped her repeatedly until she was with child. He refused her the necessities to heal herself, and he kept her for days. It wasn't until we found them that we were able to release her, and I am ashamed to say that once we found the dwarf we killed him at once." Elrond told him.

"Does Phoenix know?" Thorin asked.

"Some of it yes, but she thinks that her father died in a battle long ago, her mother, well I assume you already know." Elrond told him. "Phoenix isn't her real name, her full and actual name is Rhavaniel Eccaia, and I named her after her mother."

"Does her name have a meaning?" Thorin asked.

"Yes, it means Wild Ocean." Elrond told he and Thorin thought about it and it made him smile, but he wondered why Phoenix would want to change her name when even her elvish name was just as beautiful.

Elrond seemed to sense the dwarf king's thoughts because he answered that very question a moment later.

"Because of what everyone says about her mother and her, she changed her name in order to avoid any further shame being brought to her family, and she left to join the Rangers of the North that very night."

"Didn't you try and stop her?" Thorin asked.

"Of course I did, but even you must have noticed by now, once she puts her mind to something, nothing will stop her." Elrond told him. "She gets that from her mother."

Thorin smiled. "Does she know anything about her mother?"

"Only the answers to what she had ever asked." Elrond told him. "She knows her name and that she was a Princess of Mirkwood, the sister to Thranduil."

"Phoenix is a princess!" Thorin asked suddenly alarmed.

"Technically, yes but Thranduil refuses to acknowledge her." Elrond told him.

"Why?" Thorin asked as he watched Elf Lord sit upon a boulder, looking out onto the surrounding hillside.

"Because Phoenix was the cause of her mother's death," Elrond told him. "Surely you have seen her power over fire."

"I...She killed her through that?" Thorin asked.

"In a way, people saw her as a curse and when her mother was killed trying to hide her, Thranduil wanted her dead because of it, but I refused and instead my wife and I took her in and raised her as our own, at least, I raised her as my own."

Thorin nodded as he let it all sink in. "So how did she come by a bracelet that helps her to change from elf to dwarf and back?" He asked.

"I did not want her to ignore all parts of her, as you can see she coincides with herself quite well, she fights like an elf and crafts weapons like a dwarf." Thorin thought back to the amazing craftsmanship of the arrows and the daggers that he had seen Phoenix used. "So, it was suggested that we use the magic of the Eldar to always give her the choice of who to be, we fashioned a bangle of gold with the power of both sides and Phoenix had worn it ever since."

Thorin thought about this for a few moments and he was about to ask another question, before someone come running towards them calling for Elrond and he recognised it to be Arwen.

"Ada, come quickly!" Arwen pleaded and Thorin saw the look of fear on her face.

"Arwen, what is it?" Elrond asked.

"It's Phoenix, you better come, quickly!" She shouted to them and she started running back towards the tent and Elrond and Thorin ran with her, Elrond was faster than Thorin due to his longer legs, but Thorin was not giving up he pushed through the crowds that had gathered on the streets racing to reach his beloved. Getting into the tent, he saw what had made Arwen worried, there was a black wound in Phoenix's side, and the wound was so difficult to not look at that Thorin did not even notice that she was in her under garments, until Dwalin dragged him out of the tent.

"Unhand me!" He shouted, struggling against Dwalin. "I need to be with her."

"My King, believe me, you don't want to see what they are going to do to her." Dwalin told him. "Her fire ability cauterised the wound, which left the poison in, they need to bleed her in order to heal her, and you won't want to watch that." Dwalin reasoned and it caused Thorin to relax ever so slightly.

Dwalin looked around at the crowd that had gathered, and the look he gave them made them all leaves, well except for Fili, Kili and Tauriel who had gathered.

"Come uncle; let us get you some dinner." Fili told him and with Dwalin, he almost carried Thorin away from the tent and to where there had been food placed out for everyone.

Fili and Dwalin sat Thorin in a chair and then they sat on either side of him as Kili and Tauriel sat opposite them.

"How did she get the wound...I don't understand it..."Thorin had started muttering, and he tried to think back to the battle he had seen her in. She definitely got it on Raven Hill and then he remembered how.

 _Thorin and Fili had been thrown off Azog's back, and Thorin had been caught round the neck by the white orc and said orc had his sword pointed at his chest, he was ready to give the final blow. Yet it never came and Thorin felt himself hit the floor as he saw Phoenix leap onto the Orc's back and she hung on tight, trying to get good purchase on the blade in her hand to kill the filth but it never came, instead it threw her off and as she landed on the floor opposite him, Azog held her down with his foot._

 _"_ _Koh u mat paken glob." He snarled at Phoenix who was trying to get the pressing weight of the white orc off her chest to allow her to breathe._

 _"_ _Mabas lat, lat bardh snaga." She got out._

 _At the insult, Azog gave a loud cry as his sword was plunged down, but somehow Phoenix managed to move and it seemed to have missed her by inches, yet she was not out of the woods yet._

 _"_ _Lat mat katu kurv dagalush. Madas, lat dorzog ajog vajaz u rramb ob bajrak! Agh madas mabus shakutarbik goth agh lat rijat!" Azog told her, holding her down harder with his foot as he readied his weapon, but just as he was about to make his strike, Thorin threw himself at him, knocking both himself and the White orc to the floor once more. He managed to get to his feet just in time to watch Phoenix clutch her side, but she soon ignored whatever it was and she grabbed her sword coming to Thorin's aid just as Fili did._

That was how she got injured, Azog's blade! He was suddenly on his feet and he ran out of the tent back towards where he could see Arwen sat outside of the tent which Phoenix resided.

"Arwen!" Thorin shouted as he got closer.

"Thorin, you are not supposed to be here." Arwen told him.

"Wait, I know how she got injured." Thorin told her and when Arwen looked at him, he continued. "It was Azog's blade, he pinned her to the floor with his foot and stabbed her, and I thought that it had missed her, obviously I was wrong."

"We already know Master dwarf."

Both Dwarf and Elf looked at the door to the tent and found the Lady Galadriel and Lord Elrond stood there, looking at him, Elrond cleaning blood from a dagger with a rag as he looked at Thorin.

"Is Phoenix alright?" He asked.

"She will live, but we do not know how long it will be until she wakes up." Elrond told him and he looked behind Thorin as Tauriel got there with Fili, Kili and Dwalin not far behind. "Stay with her, I need to speak with Thranduil." Elrond told they and he and the Lady Galadriel walked away as Arwen went back inside the tent and Thorin followed with Fili, Kili, Tauriel and Dwalin close behind.

Elrond and Galadriel walked towards Thranduil's tent and found him inside with his son Legolas talking about how they would be leaving soon.

"As soon as our men are able to walk we will be leaving these shadows of the mountain." Thranduil spoke.

"What of Tauriel, father?" Legolas asked.

"She will remain here; she is no longer one of us Legolas." Thranduil spoke.

"And of my daughter?" Elrond spoke as he and Galadriel walked into the tent.

"Lord Elrond, I did not know that you had arrived." Thranduil spoke up as Legolas bowed to the lord and lady that had joined them and the guard left to give them privacy. "But as of Phoenix, what of her?"

"You failed to tell me how badly hurt she was." Elrond told her. "She could have died!"

"She is not my problem to deal with." Thranduil told him, his tone grating on Elrond's last nerve.

"She is your niece!" Elrond finally shouted. "Your sister gave birth to her, she is your kin!"

Everyone failed to see that Legolas had frozen at the mention of being related to Phoenix, all this time he had hated his own kin! He seemed to be distraught as he left the tent and only the Lady Galadriel saw him, as she followed him.

"Prince Legolas." She spoke.

"My Lady...Forgive me, I only needed some air." Legolas told her.

"You did not know about Rhavaniel being your cousin, did you?" Lady Galadriel asked.

"No, my father always told me that she was vermin." Legolas told her. "I've said many unsavoury things to her my lady, I am ashamed to have treated one of my own kin as something worth less than a piece of dirt on the floor."

"Then do you not think that you should talk to her?" Galadriel asked.

"She is not awake though, is she?" He asked.

"She should wake soon." Galadriel told him.

Legolas nodded and both of the elves returned to the tent where they could Elrond and Thranduil arguing.

"She killed my sister!" Thranduil argued, his voice rising.

"She was a child! She had no control!" Elrond shouted back.

"Enough of this," Lady Galadriel told them as she walked into the tent. "King Thranduil how dare you turn your back on your own kin, and keep your son in the dark," She told him. "Lord Elrond, we understand how much you love Rhavaniel, she is effectively your daughter with how long you have been caring for her, but please both of you stop this arguing, it is not going to do Rhavaniel any good."

Both of them sighed before Legolas spoke, only addressing Lord Elrond. "My Lord Elrond, may we speak, alone, I wish to know more about my cousin." Legolas told him.

"Of course your Prince, what would you like to know?" Elrond asked as they both walked out of the tent, Legolas almost overflowing with questions.

When Arwen, Thorin, Tauriel, Fili, Kili and Dwalin found Phoenix again, some colour had returned to her cheeks and she was dressed in a deep royal blue tunic with silver thread creating the seal of Rivendell on the front of the tunic and her hair had been brushed and no doubt washed and her skin and wounds were clean and bandaged. They all stood together around Phoenix's bed side.

"Arwen, do you think she might wake up soon?" Dwalin asked.

"Arwen," Tauriel seemed stunned as she stared at the dark haired she-elf beside her. "As in Arwen Uldomiel?"

"Yes, and you are Tauriel of Mirkwood?" Arwen asked and she watched as the she-elf got down on her knees in a bow to the lady.

"Rise, Tauriel of Mirkwood." Arwen told her and Kili simply watched, he was confused, he had never seen Tauriel suddenly drop to her knees in front of any elf, not even her king.

"Forgive me Lady Arwen, if I had known who you were, I would have shown respect straight away." Tauriel told her.

"Do not dwell on it, selde i taure, no harm was done." Arwen told her and Tauriel got to her feet, taking her place beside Kili.

As they lapsed back into silence, Phoenix seemed to be trapped in her own mind. She had woken up to find herself back in what looked like her valley, but yet there was no cottage and it looked to be never ending.

"Hello?" She called out, getting to her feet, and then she realised, she wore no weapons, and Uldoniair and Carnahan were nowhere to be seen, this worried her.

"Na seere, selde i nande."

The voice had Phoenix spinning around on her feet and she soon saw a beautiful she-elf walking towards her, her arms outstretched in such a way to show that she too had no weapons and that she was welcoming her.

"Who are you?" Phoenix asked.

"I cannot doubt you for not recognising me my daughter; I got to see so little of you before I passed." She told her.

Phoenix seemed to freeze before she spoke again. "Amil..." She whispered and when the she-elf nodded, Phoenix ran to her and hugged her.

"I am so proud of you my child." She told her, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"Mother...Where am I, what is this place?" Phoenix asked.

"This is the land of the in between." Her mother told her. "It is the land where we are not dead or living."

"Am I dead?" She asked.

"Not completely sweetheart, you will be stuck in this part of the world when you do die, but right now you are merely in a deep sleep." Her mother told her.

 _"_ _Phoenix, please come back to me, I'm so sorry my love, I love you."_

The voice made Phoenix tense, it was Thorin's voice! She looked around the space that they were occupying but she could not see him.

"He is waiting for you." Her mother told her. "That dwarf king of yours loves you intently my daughter."

"How do I get back to him?" She asked. "Can I get back to him?"

"You can, return to him." Her mother confirmed. "It is not your time yet my darling, and anyway, you still have to fulfil your future."

"What is what exactly?" She asked.

"To be a lover and a wife, a mother and a friend and eventually find your way back to the undying land." She told her.

"What if that doesn't work out?" Phoenix asked. "Thorin couldn't marry me; he needs to marry a dwarrowdam to have children who aren't outcasts."

"Sweetheart, what he needs to do is love you, and if he does not, then he will soon learn how to treat a daughter of mine." She told her. "Now when you go back, I want you to give a message to my brother."

"What message?" She asked and as the woman leaned close and whispered it to her, Phoenix listened before she bid goodbye to her mother and watched her disappear and then it sunk in.

Inside she felt relieved at finally meeting her mother, but now she was confused. How was she to get back to Thorin? She looked around for any sign of an exit, yet when that came up empty she remembered her own power of resurrection and she closed her eyes, suddenly feeling a strong pull and she soon found herself inside a tent, lying on a comfortable bed. Looking at the company she had received, she recognised her sister Arwen, Tauriel, Kili and Fili, Dwalin and then she found Thorin, he was asleep with his head on his folded arms that rested on the edge of the bed. Silently getting herself to her feet, she walked out of the tent, being careful not to wake the elves or the dwarves and she walked through the battlefield, she found the sleeping wounded and the sleeping healers, and she found the tent of the elf king, and then she found another tent that warmed her heart. Her father was here and the Lady Galadriel, she almost felt honoured. Yet she did not stop to see if either of them were awake, she continued walking, heading to raven's Point, and she climbed the rock with abandon before she found herself upon the ledge where she watched Fili be murdered. Then she made her way down the steps, along the ice to where she had saved Thorin and watched as Azog's body was destroyed. She wondered how long it had been, she still felt ready for a fight, but there was something else there, something burning away at the back of her mind and then she remembered. She had been wounded, and she had brought back the remaining line of Durin, that must have caused her unconsciousness, yet she regretted nothing. As she made her way to the edge of the ice, she looked down at the camp below her. She saw the fires of the elves, she was surprised when no one had spotted her leaving, but she figured that none of the remaining elves would have cared if they had spotted her, so she paid it no heed. She thought through her message for Thranduil and it made her smile, looking up to the full moon above, she smiled wide.

"Ne i kala quanta silmo mii qualin hesin hui. I seldom uur antuulien." She spoke to the moon. "And I'm not finished yet." She promised.

 **Translations**

 _Mithrandier_ : friend or elf-friend

 _Ada_ : father

 _Koh u mat paken glob_ : time to die elf filth

 _Mabas lat, lat bardh snaga_ : after you, you white orc slave

 _Lat mat katu kurv dagalush. Madas, lat dorzog ajog vajaz u rramb ob bajrak! Agh madas mabus shakutarbik goth agh lat rijat_ : You die here whore's imp. After you surrender that maidenhood to the rape of the clan. And after I kill your dwarf lord and you watch.

 _Selde i taure_ : daughter of the forest

 _Na seere, selde i nande_ : Be at peace, daughter of the valley

 _Amil_ : mother

 _Ne i kala quanta silmo mii qualin hesin hui. I seldom uur antuulien_ : By the light of a full moon in the dead of a winter's night. The child of fire has returned.


	21. Chapter 21

It takes a talk to find peace

Phoenix stayed on the top of Raven Hill for the rest of the night, she watched the sun rise in the morning and she felt it warm her cold skin, igniting small flames on her hands which she snuffed out almost immediately. Meanwhile, whilst she was up there, she did not realise that people were now worried. Thorin had woken up that morning, mentally cursing himself for falling asleep, and he looked over at the others, from Fili, to Dwalin, to Arwen and then to Kili and Tauriel who had fallen asleep with Kili's head on Tauriel's shoulder. He smiled at his nephew's love for the she-elf and he wished to bestow his own love upon his half elf but he sprung to his feet when he realised that her bed was empty. The sound of his chair clattering to the floor shocked everyone else awake and they all stared at where Phoenix had been.

"Where could she have gone?" Kili asked.

"I do not know...But we must find her." Fili told them and he watched as his Uncle left the tent and they all followed him to where Lord Elrond was stood with the Lady Galadriel and Gandalf.

"Elrond," Thorin spoke. "Do you happen to know where Phoenix has gone?"

"I did not know that she was missing." Elrond told him. "At least not until this morning, but worry not King Thorin, she is safe."

"Where is she?" He asked.

Elrond nodded to where he could see Phoenix and they all turned to find her sitting on a ledge in the mountain beside them and they watched as someone walked over to join her and that someone turned out to be Legolas.

"Her cousin has decided to seek reconciliation with her and her forgiveness." Galadriel told them as Legolas sat next to her on the ledge.

"I hope she rips him a new one." Thorin told him.

They all looked at him and smiled slightly, they knew that the dwarf king did not appreciate the elf prince at all, and some wondered how this was going to turn out as he was Phoenix's biological family.

Meanwhile, Legolas walked along the ledge to where Phoenix was sat, he wondered how long she had been there, but other questions were making themselves know. Would she accept his apology? Would she even talk to him? Mentally, he doubted it, he had treated her horribly, but from what he had gotten from Elrond the previous night, and Phoenix did have a forgiving soul if the reason was right. He hoped his reason was the right reason. He thought back to the conversation that he and Lord Elrond had had the night before.

 _They had left King Thranduil and the Lady Galadriel in the tent and together they walked along a small river bank. They were silent for a few minutes, until Lord Elrond decided to break the silence._

 _"_ _What do you wish to know?" He asked the elf prince._

 _"_ _I...I do not know..." Legolas sighed. "What is there to know about someone you were meant to have hated all of your life."_

 _Elrond gave him a calm smile. "My prince, you can know something as simple as her favourite colour or something that is of more length, such as her favourite pass time." He told her._

 _Legolas seemed to think for a few minutes, before he asked a simple question. "How old is she?"_

 _"_ _Rhavaniel is currently two thousand, one hundred and seventy five years old, in fact she turns two thousand, one hundred and seventy six in a few months time, I must tell Thorin that." He reminded himself._

 _"_ _So she is not that much younger than myself." Legolas told him._

 _"_ _No, indeed, she is not." Elrond told him._

 _Legolas sighed. "I have made a large mess of this; she will not forgive me for what I have done."_

 _"_ _Legolas, Rhavaniel knows when someone deserves to be forgiven, if it is for the right cause, she will forgive you, without a doubt." Lord Elrond promised._

 _That was when Legolas had decided that he would take the Lady Galadriel's advice and go and talk to Phoenix, when he next found that she was awake._

And that was why he was here now, stood on top of a mountain, waiting to be acknowledge by his cousin who seemed more than satisfied with sitting on the ledge, dangling her legs over the side.

"What do you want Legolas?" She asked him eventually.

Legolas looked at her, he wanted to reply with a short and snappy comment, but this time, he did not have the heart. For once he knew that he was in the wrong and that he needed to own up to it.

"I...Well...I have come to say that I am sorry." Legolas told her.

At hearing him, Phoenix turned around and looked at him in almost disbelief at what she was hearing – The obnoxious Elvish Prince was here apologising – and to her?! It did not make any sense, but she decided to hear him out.

"And why are you apologising?" She asked him.

Legolas looked at her and he watched her climb back to her feet and she soon stood before him.

"Well...Um...My treatment of you, was not as it should have been." Legolas told her. "You are a Princess of Mirkwood, the daughter of my father's sister; you deserve much more respect than I was giving you."

"You are right, I did." She told him. "But you did not know that I was your cousin, did you?" She asked him.

"No, and I swear to you, if I did then I would never have acted in such a way." He promised.

"I know." She shrugged and this had Legolas confused, she did not look angry, or upset, instead, she looked rather placid and masked, and so did this mean that he was forgiven? He then realised that he should have asked Lord Elrond how he would be able to tell that Phoenix was going to forgive him or not.

"So...Phoenix...Am I forgiven?" He asked her, rather timidly for the Prince of Mirkwood.

"Yes Legolas, you are forgiven." She told him and he started to smile slightly.

"Thank you cousin, you are too gracious." He told her.

"So I have been told." She told him. "Come on, we had best go and join everyone, your father will be wondering where you have gotten to." She told him. "And Thorin will be beside himself."

"Let's." Legolas agreed and the pair started making their way down the mountain side.

When they reached the bottom, Legolas bowed in farewell as he went off to find his father's tent and Phoenix watched as her father walked towards her.

"Nín iell." Elrond smiled.

"Ada." Phoenix smiled, and she suddenly ran to her father, hugging him tightly, and this time Lord Elrond welcomed it, pulling her into his embrace.

"Inyë nauth han inyë aw wanwa tye." Elrond told her, kissing the top of her head softly.

"Han ava lárë." She told him, looking up at him with tears in her eyes.

"I hope not." He whispered, before he let go of her and using his thumbs to wipe her tears. "You should go and find Thorin, Bard and Gandalf dragged him away to look at plans to rebuild Dale." He told her.

"I will join them at once." Phoenix nodded and she was suddenly confronted by the Dwarves who she had accompanied on their journey to Erebor, along with Tauriel, Arwen and Legolas.

"It's good to see you on your feet, lass." Balin told her.

"Yeah, we all thought you were a goner." Ori told her but was hit in the ribs by his older brother, Nori.

Phoenix could not help but smile at the young dwarf. "I thought that you would all already be at the city."

"Well you see lass..." Dwalin started.

"We decided to escort you ourselves." Gloin told her.

"And Kili and Tauriel were dragged along by me, whilst Balin grabbed Arwen and then she brought Legolas." Fili told her. "So really, Kili, Tauriel, Arwen and Legolas don't really have a choice."

Phoenix just laughed. "Very well, let the procession –"

"Of Rhavaniel Eccaia." Arwen told her.

"Very well, let the procession of Rhavaniel Eccaia move out." She told them and together they all started walking towards Dale.

They did not walk for long, for the battle had brought them closer to Dale than they originally thought when they set up the medical tents. As they walked, many dwarves bowed to the dwarf warriors and many of the elves bowed to the Prince, Lady and Captain, but none bowed to Phoenix. Yet she took this in her stride and she walked ahead, her boots leaving her trail of prints behind herself and she looked around the almost barren land that resided outside of Erebor.

"I bet this all seems strange to you." Ori told her as he walked alongside her.

"Yes, it does in a way." She told him, looking at the younger dwarf. "The valley was always fully of flowers and life, here there is nothing."

"There used to be life here lass." Balin told her as he too walked alongside her.

"Aye, there were trees, bushes; maybe you will be able to help them to grow again?" Bofur asked.

Phoenix nodded. "Maybe I could." She nodded and the group continued to walk towards Dale. When they got to the city, the dwarves all stayed close to Phoenix especially when they saw the dead littered around, being moved out of the way. As she passed groups of people, many looked at her with sad and longing eyes. Suddenly Phoenix was stopped by an older woman, her dark hair matted with dirt, her face sporting fresh cuts from the battle she had faced – Hilda.

"My lady." She spoke, her voice gruff from crying and screaming.

"Madam." Phoenix spoke, and she watched the woman, before she suddenly received a slap across the face, but the woman shied away from the group who had travelled with Phoenix when they were about to advance onto her.

"No." Phoenix told them and the woman simply looked at her. "I am sorry for your loss."

"I lost no one in the battle." She told her.

"Then why did you hit her?" Fili asked. "You should be punished."

"Fili, that's enough." Phoenix told him.

"I thought you were dead you stupid girl." The woman cursed, suddenly pulling Phoenix into a hug. "I thought you were killed by that piece of filth."

Phoenix hugged the woman back tightly. "I am sorry." She told her, and as she pulled away from the embrace she looked at the confused group of dwarves and elves behind her. "This woman is the closest person to a mother that I've ever had." She told them. "Every time I came to Laketown to see Bard and his family, she would always make sure I was fed and often gave me shelter in her house."

"Aye, and in return, you taught me to fight." The woman told her, moving a hand down one side of her face. "Speaking of Bard and the children, they were in the market with Thorin, the other Dwarf Lord, Gandalf and The Elf King."

"Thank you, emel." Phoenix told her, kissing the woman's cheek before she walked towards the marketplace with the rest of her company.

Tauriel looked behind as the group left and found that Arwen had remained almost frozen in place. "My lady, what is it?"

"I have never heard her use that word with anyone." Arwen told Tauriel.

"She has truly had no mother?" Tauriel asked and Arwen shook her head in sadness before the pair ran to catch up with the others.

They soon found the group that the woman had told them about, huddled around a rock was Bard, Bain, Thorin, Dain, Thranduil, Gandalf and Bilbo. It was a strange sight to behold, all races on Middle Earth coming together to help rebuild a city.

"Dear Uncle, how could you start without us?" Fili cried as he sauntered over.

"Dear Nephew, I am only doing this to keep my mind from thinking of other pressing matters." Thorin told him.

"Such as what?" Fili pressed.

"Could it be the gold of Erebor?" Kili asked.

"Or the Arkenstone?" Fili continued.

"Or could it be the fact that someone who saved your ass is standing behind you?" Kili finished.

Thorin spun round to look at his nephews when the two moved out of the way which lead to Thorin's eyes finding Phoenix immediately as she stood in front of the dwarves and elves that had built her procession, and some of the humans who had joined them. He did not notice that his youngest nephew went to the red haired elf that had also joined, nor did he see the look of distaste from his cousin who eyed his nephew and his elf, or the look of loathing from the blonde elf that also saw the embrace. He did not see Arwen push Phoenix towards him a tiny bit, or the rest of his company push her within a few feet of distance from him, all he saw was Phoenix walking towards him until she was right in front of him.

"Nín mela." Phoenix spoke, her voice quiet.

"Amralime." Thorin whispered, and he watched her return to her dwarvish height, before he rested his hand on her cheek and he looked into her eyes, getting lost in the blue that rivalled any gem. "Díheno nin." He told her.

Phoenix gave him a soft smile as she moved a hand into his dark locks that were still matted from being on the road and in battle. "I already have." She told he and that spurred him into action and he kissed her deeply, his arms wrapping around her waist and pulling her into him.

When their kiss finally broke, Phoenix was suddenly out of Thorin's arms and onto the floor after being tackled by her goddaughter Tilda.

"Phoenix, you're alright!" Tilda beamed as she hugged her godmother tightly.

"Of course I am." Phoenix told her, hugging her tightly.

"Human displays of affection are puzzling to say the least." Thranduil spoke up as he noticed the younger human crying.

"She is merely showing happiness, King Thranduil." Gandalf told him.

"It is still strange." He told him before he looked at Bard. "Now, Bard, will you show my men and I where our help is required?"

"Of course, we could always use some help rebuilding the walls." Bard told him as they walked away and soon Phoenix was back on her feet.

"I need to stay with da', can I come and find you later?" Tilda asked Phoenix, rubbing her eyes free of tears quickly.

"Of course gwein min." Phoenix told her, brushing some of her hair behind her ear, and she smiled as she watched Tilda run off after Bard, before she looked at Thorin. "Where do you want us all to work?" She asked him.

"Mainly rebuilding walls and homes." Thorin told her. "But I want you to stay close to me." He told Phoenix who nodded and as the rest of the dwarves and elves left, he looked at her as he entwined their hands.

"I'm glad that you are feeling better." He told her.

"As am I." She smiled. "The experience was not pleasant."

"But you are fine now?" He asked, almost as if he was proving it to himself.

"I am." She nodded, kissing his cheek. "You do not need to worry my king, I am perfectly fine now."

Thorin gave her a smile as they walked towards a house that only had Fili, Kili and Tauriel working on it and they join in. Thorin helping his nephews rebuild the walls inside and outside of the house, whilst Tauriel and Phoenix worked on the roof, their Elvish agility helping them to get up there with ease.

They all worked in laughter and teasing from the two younger dwarves and as the sun reached its highest peak, everyone started to feel the heat. Even Phoenix and Tauriel were feeling the heat, so that they had shed many layers of cloth until Phoenix was in her white shirt and Tauriel was in a light green tunic, the layer above her underclothes. However, the princes had become shirtless in the never-ending sun whilst Thorin had gone down to his dark undershirt.

Tauriel and Phoenix watched as the woman who passed blushed at the sight of the shirtless dwarves, and whilst Thorin's own shirt did not leave much to the imagination with how tight to his skin it was, the townsfolk knew better than to mess with him after his and Phoenix's public display of affection earlier. However, the same could not be said for the relationship that had blossomed between Kili and Tauriel.

"Gar tye equë manen tye matha os i hadhod caun?" Phoenix asked as they took a break from fixing the roof as the dwarves went to get some drinks to ease the heat.

"Ed ava vistë ma." Tauriel told her, looking at her.

"Tye baw ista han, Tauriel baw lav hin marta o mÎl talta gwachae. Kili cé i heirder o tya hûn." Phoenix told her.

"Be man Thorin echad glanna ben gobel garthad?" Tauriel told her playfully and Phoenix laughed.

"Ná, fael be han." Phoenix told her through laughter.

The two soon fell about laughing as they waited for the dwarf men to return with their refreshments. Whilst in the tent for refreshments, Thorin was standing in the doorway that gave him a clear view to where Phoenix and Tauriel had remained on the roof and he watched them as they laughed and talked together.

"I wonder what they are saying."

He looked at the person next to him and found his nephew Kili stood there, taking a sip of his mug of cold and fresh water.

"I would also like to know, I'm just glad that Phoenix is happy." Thorin told him.

"As am I," Kili told him. "Both, Phoenix and Tauriel."

Thorin looked at him, he wondered of his nephew's relationship with the elf maiden, but he did not question it and he soon realised that he did not have to.

"Uncle, would you give me your blessing?" Kili asked him.

"For what?" Thorin asked.

"To court Tauriel, if she will have me?"

Thorin looked at his nephew who kept his eyes forward watching the two elves on the roof, but he noticed the looks of nervousness in Kili's eyes.

"Kili, of course I would." Thorin told her. "Ask her tonight, Bard has asked us all to attend a bonfire in honour of the dead tonight."

Kili nodded. "I might just do that." He wondered out loud and he smiled as his uncle patted his shoulder, before he walked towards the house that they had almost finished and Kili remained in the doorway, watching the elvish maidens who were comfortably talking and sitting in the sun.

 **Translations**

Nin iell : My Daughter

Ada : Father

Inyë nauth han inyë aw wanwa tye : I thought that I had lost you

Han ava lárë : That will not happen

Emel : Mother

Nín mela : My love

Díheno nin : Forgive me

Gwein min : Young one

Gar tye equë manen tye matha os i hadhod caun? : Have you said how you feel about the dwarf prince?

Ed ava vistë ma : It will not change anything

Tye baw ista han, Tauriel baw lav hen marta o mÎl talta gwachae : You do not know that, Tauriel do not allow this chance of love to slip away

Kili cé i heirder o tya hûn : Kili may be the master of your heart

Be man Thorin echad glanna ben gobel garthad? : Like what Thorin made clear in the town square?

Ná, fael be han : Yes, just like that


	22. Chapter 22

**The song in this chapter is** ** _May It Be_** **by Enya in case you want to listen whilst you read.**

Celebrations of Life

Phoenix and Tauriel came down from the top of the house once Fili, Kili and Thorin had finished fixing the walls and Tauriel and Phoenix had finished laying the roof, they had managed to fix two houses that day and everyone seemed pretty pleased with themselves for their hard work. It was as strong as it had been many years before and the two were still smiling at their earlier conversation. When they were back on the ground, Kili walked over to Tauriel's side and they walked away with Fili who seemed rather interested to find Sigrid. That left Phoenix and Thorin together and Phoenix helped Thorin to put his overcoat back on now that the cold evening air was starting to set in.

"Are you alright?" Thorin asked.

"I am fine." She told him. "Thorin, will you please stop worrying, I am perfectly fine."

"I know, I know." He smiled softly, kissing her head. "Shall we go and find your father and sister?"

"We should, I have not seen them since we stopped for lunch earlier." She told him.

"Let's go then." He told her and together, the pair walked off hand in hand.

The pair walked around the city and they found that most of everything had already been rebuilt, the elves really did work fast, and they soon found Lord Elrond stood watching as the Lady Galadriel and Arwen were sat with some young human children and Tilda and they looked to be sewing things to make blankets.

"Esto thÎr daer." Phoenix commented.

"Hantalë tye, neth." Arwen smiled, looking over at her sister and her smile brightened as she saw her and Thorin holding hands.

"Inyë estel esto tog tiutalë, edregol an i sén." The lady Galadriel spoke as all of the children except for Tilda left, carrying blankets with them as they went.

"Nányë sinwa han esto innas, nín heruin." Tilda told her, gently resting a hand on the Lady elf's arm whilst everyone stared at her, except for Phoenix and the Lady Galadriel.

"You speak Elvish, Tilda?" Thorin asked.

"Not as well as Phoenix, but I know some words, and it's not that hard to put them into sentences." Tilda shrugged, going red with embarrassment.

"Tye pedo edhellen mae, nín mell." Galadriel smiled and she gently kissed Tilda's forehead before Tilda ran over to Phoenix, carrying her own blanket and they watched as Galadriel and Arwen left.

"Arwen." Phoenix shouted.

"Yes?" Arwen turned to look at her.

"Tell father I will see him later."

"I will." Arwen promised and when they were gone, Phoenix looked down at Tilda who had buried her face in her chest.

"Come on little one, let's find your father."

Together, and along with Thorin, Phoenix and Tilda walked through Dale, the streets bustling with people, just like it used to, some places rebuilt, others still needing work. But it was starting to look like Dale once more.

"Is this what Dale used to look like Uncle Thorin?" Tilda asked.

Thorin raised his eyebrow at the young girl calling him her uncle, before he glanced over at Phoenix who quickly stifled a giggle, and then he looked at Tilda.

"Almost, it looks almost the same." He smiled. "I like it though, change it good." He told her.

"Yep...So will you and Phoenix be getting married?" She asked immediately.

"Tilda," Phoenix laughed. "Enough questions go and find your da'." She told her.

"Awe, but-"Tilda started to complain, but was stopped by Phoenix almost immediately.

"Go." Phoenix told her and they watched Tilda hug each of them before she ran off with her blanket, looking for Bard.

When Tilda was gone, Thorin looked at his love. "What's the matter?" He asked.

"Nothing, I just do not think that marriage would be on our cards." She told him.

"Why not?" Thorin asked.

"Thorin, you need to marry a dwarrowdam." She reminded him.

"Best thing I've ever heard you say, Thorin she knows her place, let her stay in it." Dain told them as he walked over. "There is no need to put those who are unworthy in a place above their station." He looked pointedly at Phoenix who looked back at him, a fire of anger in her eyes as she did so.

"Excuse me gentlemen, I must be going, but there will be a gathering at the town square tonight so that we can remember the dead, I hope to see you both there." Phoenix told her and she was gone before Thorin could stop her.

When she was gone, Thorin looked at Dain. "Why don't you leave her alone?"

"Because she-"Dain started.

"No, actually, I do not wish to hear it." Thorin told his cousin. "I love her Dain and I will not love anyone other than her, now get that through your head or I will not invite you back to Erebor once the repairs are finished, ever again." Thorin warned and he walked away, looking for his nephews.

Thorin did not walk far, before he found Fili, Kili, Tauriel and Bilbo sat together after finishing some more repairs on the house behind them and they were all having a rest, drinking from mugs that were much too big for the Hobbit to hold.

"Kili, Fili." Thorin spoke up and his nephews jumped to their feet and Tauriel looked over at him as Bilbo froze mid drink, no doubt drowning himself as he looked at Thorin.

"Uncle, what can we do for you?" Fili asked.

"I have a task for the pair of you, and Miss Tauriel and Master Baggins if they wish to accept it." Thorin told them.

The four looked at him in curiosity and they all nodded. "Whatever it is, I would enjoy taking part." Bilbo told him after he stopped drowning himself with his mug.

"What is this task Uncle?" Fili asked.

"Searching for bandits?" Kili asked.

"No Killi." Thorin told him with a roll of his eyes.

"Fighting to the death, saving a damsel?" Fili asked.

"Sort of." Thorin told him. "I need you all to keep an eye on Phoenix, and keep her away from Dain."

"Why?" Tauriel asked. "She is well rested and ready to join us Thorin." Tauriel told him.

"I know that, but Dain is trying to push her out, and I fear that she will leave given the right incentive."

"Well, we can't have that." Fili told him.

"Aye, don't you worry uncle; she will be fine with us." Kili promised.

"Good, now have any of you seen her?" Thorin asked.

"She went down towards the dwarf and Elf campsites." Tauriel told him. "I think she said something about a bath."

Thorin nodded and he walked off towards the campsites and he walked straight to Phoenix's tent, sure enough finding Phoenix's clothing on the bed and her weapons and boots stood in the corner, but he stopped hearing voices from a separated part of the tent and the sound of water.

The voices were only Arwen and Phoenix, and Phoenix was sat in a tub already full or water and the water was giving off a steam as Phoenix heated it herself, and Arwen was sat on a stool behind her, washing her hair.

"You really should grow your hair." Arwen told her.

"Why?" Phoenix asked her. "It's more manageable this way."

"But all elves have long hair." Arwen told her.

"I am not just an elf." Phoenix reminded her as she closed her eyes. "And anyway your own hair is not that long."

"It is when I flatten it and it is not curled like this." Arwen told her with a laugh. "Speaking of managing your hair, you do not normally ask for my assistance unless something is bothering you."

"I know." Phoenix told her, letting Arwen wash the soap from her hair.

"So what's on your mind?" Arwen asked.

Phoenix sighed and she opened her eyes, turning in the water to look back at her sister and Arwen saw a conflicted look in her eyes.

"Is it Thorin?" Arwen asked and Thorin held his breath.

"No, it's his cousin." Phoenix told him. "He's trying to get me to leave."

"And are you going to?" She asked her.

"No." Phoenix told her and she sounded so sure that Thorin's heart skipped a beat. "I love Thorin too much to simply leave him."

"Does Thorin know how you feel?" She asked.

"I think he has his suspicions." Phoenix told her. "It's just now Dain is saying that I know my place, how dare he!" Phoenix suddenly shouted as she got to her feet in the tub and stepped out and into the robe that Arwen had ready. "I am through my mother a princess; I definitely outrank him in title, skill and wit."

Thorin felt himself almost laughing as she spoke; admittedly she was much better than his cousin at all of those things, and given the chance he would love for Phoenix to prove it just to shut Dain up.

"Well, maybe you should prove it." Arwen told her.

"I intend to, eventually." Phoenix promised.

That was when Thorin saw his cue and he walked back towards the tent entrance and decided to try and act like he had not been there.

"Phoenix, are you in here?" He called out.

"I'm through here Thorin." Phoenix told he and he walked round the makeshift doorway and he found Phoenix stood with her sister, wrapped in a silk robe, her damp hair running down past her shoulders.

"I had best leave the pair of you alone to talk." Arwen told the pair of them and she bowed her head to the pair of them before she left the tent and soon they were left alone.

"I came to apologise on behalf of my cousin." Thorin told her.

"I know, and I also know that you were eavesdropping on the conversation that Arwen and I were having." Phoenix told him.

Thorin gained a rather uncharacteristic blush to his cheeks at that and he nodded. "I did...And I must admit; I found it to be quite interesting."

Phoenix raised an eyebrow, before she let it slide and she walked over to him, kissing his cheek.

"Come with me, I need your opinion." Phoenix told him, and she took his hand, leading him back through to where the bed was and Thorin realised that there was a parcel sitting on it that he had not noticed when he first came in.

"What is my opinion for?" He asked.

"Arwen told me to wear a dress for tonight's remembrance, I want your opinion on how I look wearing it, and it needs to be truthful." She told him.

"Okay...I'll give you my best opinion." Thorin told her.

"Good, now advert your eyes so that I can put it on." She told him.

Thorin turned around and after a few seconds, he was told to turn back and all of a sudden he was faced with a vision of beauty. The dress was almost white in colour, but in the right light showed to be a dusty pink, with silver embroidery on the hem, neckline and sleeves and the neckline showed the barest bit of cleavage.

Phoenix waited for a few minutes, but Thorin still did not reply to her, and instead just stared at her dumbstruck. Eventually he snapped out of it when he felt Phoenix tapping his shoulder.

"Sorry, did you say something?" He asked.

"Yes, I asked what you thought about my dress." She told him.

"I think it looks amazing." He told her.

"Then I'm not wearing it." She told him.

"Why not?" Thorin asked. "I thought that Arwen gave it to you specifically for tonight?" He asked.

"She did, but now I know you like it, I do not want it ruined and I want to wear it for a special occasion." She told him as she moved behind the screen once more and came back out in her usual leather pants, leather waistcoat and white puffed sleeve shirt, though now she wore leather wrist bands that started at her wrist and finished in a point at her elbow and Thorin recognised Elvish symbols on them.

"What do the symbols mean?" He nodded to the wristbands.

Phoenix looked down at them as she sat on the edge of her bed and pulled on her boots. "It spells my name."

"Rhavaniel Eccaia." Thorin spoke and Phoenix looked at him in surprise and curiosity, after all, she had not ever told Thorin her birth name.

"Elrond told me." Thorin told her. "It was also your mother's name."

"Yes, it was." Phoenix finished putting her boots on and she looked at him. "Please don't tell anyone else."

"I won't." Thorin promised and he walked over, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

She smiled at him and finished with her clothes, before she grabbed her ranger's cloak and she put it around her shoulders, before she pulled one from a trunk that had only appeared since Arwen had come and she handed it to him.

"What is it?" Thorin eyed the suspicious mass of black material in his lover's hands.

Phoenix could not help but laugh at his uneasiness. "It's just a cloak, Arwen made it as a gift of acceptance for you."

"Acceptance," Thorin asked. "Is it an Elvish tradition or something?" He continued as he turned his back to her.

She nodded as she fastened the cloak around him and she ran her hands gently down his chest from behind. "It is to show that you have been accepted by members of the family, you will receive gifts from my brothers and my father, though I doubt that my brothers will be giving you gifts as nicely as Arwen." She told him.

Thorin turned to look at her. "How do I look?"

"Very fetching," She smiled. "The material was incredibly hard for her to come by, no one in Rivendell wears the colour black."

"So why did she pick it?" Thorin asked as he looked down at the shockingly warm and light cloak.

"Because she has only ever seen you wear dark colours, and apparently black goes with everything." Phoenix shrugged.

Thorin could not help the chuckle that escaped his lips and he looked to Phoenix. "We will need to tell your sister that I appreciate the gift." He gave her a smile that she reflected and it brightened her whole face. "But how does this acceptance work on my behalf?" He asked.

"What do you mean?" She asked, looking to him as they walked.

"Do I need to give them gifts in return?" He asked.

"Usually yes, but you are a dwarf, they do not expect anything from you since you wouldn't know about it unless I told you." Phoenix shrugged.

Thorin looked at her. "I may be a dwarf, but I will craft your family the finest things that they have ever seen." He promised her. "I need them to know that I accept them just as much as they accept me."

Phoenix looked at him. "Thorin, they already know that."

"I know, but I wish to show them, just as they have shown me." He gently touched the fabric of his cloak, it was extraordinarily soft. "What is this made from?" He asked.

"I am unsure of the name, but we found that it is able to keep you warm and comfortable but it also hardwearing and light to help with travelling, Arwen's mother made them all a cloak for their birth years before she passed to Valinor." Phoenix told him.

Thorin did not miss the look of sadness that Phoenix held at the mention of the mother to her adopted family, but there was also something else there, a hint of anger and Thorin recognized that this she-elf had not treated Phoenix very kindly at all. However, before he could ask her about it, Bain pulled up on a horse, and he was holding Carnahan's reigns.

"Bain." Thorin nodded.

"King Thorin." Bain nodded in return before he looked at Phoenix. "Da' told me to come and get you, we are going to the lake to pay our respects and he thought that you would want to come with us."

"Yes, I think I will." She took Carnahan's reigns from him and she looked at Thorin. "Do you wish to come as well?"

"I have nothing to ride." Thorin told her.

"You could always ride with me." She told he and she offered him her hand and without thinking, Thorin took it, and she lifted him up onto the saddle before she climbed on behind him. "It's just like riding a pony." Phoenix whispered to him when she saw his uncertainty and she pressed a kiss to the top of his head as they rode off.

Thorin tried his best to stay holding on to the reigns and to stay in the saddle, but he found it increasingly difficult, at least he did until he felt Phoenix's hands around his waist move up to his arms and she held the reigns with him. Carnahan had a lot more movement in him than his pony did, but Thorin soon found himself to be enjoying the ride.

"Don't look now, but you're riding a full grown horse on your own." Phoenix whispered in his ear and he looked at their hands and found that he was indeed doing it on his own, without any help from her and he felt himself smile.

"Well it is just like a pony." He told her and he smiled more at hearing her laughter.

Eventually they all arrived at what was left of Laketown, stopping on the shore and Phoenix dismounted first, before she helped Thorin down and she soon joined Bain as they walked through the crowd towards where they could see Bard and his daughters.

"Ah Phoenix, we thought you weren't coming." Bard told her as they shared a hug.

"Of course I would." She nodded, kissing his cheek in greeting.

"And King Thorin, we are certainly surprised that you are here." Bard told him.

"I felt like I should be here, considering what I promise the people of this town and I can assure you, I intend to keep my promise!" He shouted and the whole surrounding of survivors cheered in gratitude. Phoenix watched her dwarf as he was patted on the back and thanked by the people of the lake and she felt a swell of immense pride as she looked at him, he was truly back to himself. This was the Thorin that she fell in love with all those months ago when she was following him.

"Now, please everyone, some quiet." Bard told them. "At the twilight of this night, we come to the edge of the lake to remember those that we lost in the devastation." Bard looked at his children as he spoke, and all of them had congregated to Phoenix, who had her arm around Tilda holding her against her front. "But it is also a time to celebrate the lives that we did save." He looked back out over the people who had joined him and the dwarf king who stood beside him. "Hail the victorious dead!" He shouted.

"Hail the victorious dead!" The crowd shouted, before they all bowing their heads.

"Sing us a song Phoenix." Tilda asked in a whisper.

Phoenix looked at the child before her and she sighed, closing her eyes. "As you wish." She whispered to her, kissing the top of her head. The song she sang, Thorin did not recognize, but it was almost just as beautiful as the one that he heard her sing in Rivendell.

 _May it be an evening star?_

 _Shines down upon you,_

 _May it be when darkness falls; your heart will be true._

 _You walk a lonely road,_

 _Oh, how far you are from home._

 _Mornie utulie_

 _Believe and you will find your way_

 _Mornie alantie_

 _A promise lives within you now_

 _May it be the shadow's call,_

 _Will fly away._

 _May it be your journey on?_

 _To light the day._

 _When the night is overcome,_

 _You may rise to find the sun_

 _Mornie utulie_

 _Believe and you will find your way_

 _Mornie alantie_

 _A promise lives within you now_

 _A promise lives within your now_

As the song ended, Thorin glanced around to find many of the people around her wiping away tears, and he even saw some fall from his lover's eyes and he yearned to comfort her, but he knew that she was being strong for the family whose children clung to her, she would need her own comforting later, where he would happily give it. Eventually everyone started to head back to Dale, and Thorin waited over by Carnahan as Phoenix stood at the edge of the lake, almost in the water, and she looked out over the burnt stumps that showed all that was left of Laketown. Thorin waited patiently, but it soon grew dark and he knew that people would be looking for them.

"Phoenix, we need to go home." He called over to her.

"You're right; people will be looking for you." She told him.

It was quiet for a few minutes before Phoenix looked back at him and she wiped her eyes quickly before she walked back over to him and she helped him onto the horse and she soon jumped up behind him and together, they rode back to Dale. Upon their return, they saw Balin racing towards them.

"There you are laddie." Balin shouted as Phoenix helped Thorin from Carnahan's back and onto the floor. "Where have you been?"

"We went to pay our respects at the lake." Thorin told him.

"What's the matter Balin?" Phoenix asked.

"Dain is looking for you." Balin told them. "Well more Thorin than you lass, but he did say that he would run his sword through you if you are keeping his cousin from him."

"I would love to see him try." Phoenix told him, before she grabbed Thorin's hand stopping him from advancing on Dain when they saw him ahead of them.

When Dain saw them, he marched straight over to them and he pushed his way between Phoenix and Thorin, throwing an arm around his cousin's shoulders.

"Come on cousin, we brought some ale with us, we are to celebrate our dead." He told he and he dragged Thorin away before he could even get a word to Phoenix who just watched the two dwarf lords leave and Balin looked up at her.

"Don't let it go to your heart lass, Dain will come around eventually." Balin told her.

"Yes, I hope so." She told him.

"Now, I'd best join them, I will see you later lass." Balin told her and she watched him leave before she went looking for the elves and she soon found her father, sister and the Lady Galadriel sitting with Bilbo and Gandalf and Tauriel.

"Have you been pushed out as well?" Phoenix asked Tauriel as she got closer.

"Yes, it seems that the cousin to your dwarf really has a hatred of elves, and Thranduil did not seem to want me near." Tauriel told them,

"Well you can happily join us." Galadriel told her. "You will always be welcome."

Tauriel gave her a smile. "Thank you, my lady."

"I don't understand the whole social divide." Bilbo told them.

"Not a lot of people do Master Baggins, but us in Rivendell and Lothlorien, try to keep out of it as much as possible." Lord Elrond told him.

Bilbo nodded in understanding before they all lapsed back into silence, the elves, wizard and Hobbit sipping glasses of wine, whilst Phoenix watched the sky.

"Do you not want a drink Phoenix?" Bilbo asked.

"I cannot drink the wine of the elves or the mead of the dwarves, Bilbo." She told him. "That is unless I want to be ill."

"Oh...So what can you drink?" He asked.

"Water?"

Everyone looked to the voice to find Sigrid stood nearby, holding out a glass of water to Phoenix who happily took it.

"Come and join us, dear child." Galadriel told her.

"I would my lady, but I have to help my da', but if I may, I will come and find you later on?" She asked.

"Of course, I will look forward to our meeting." Galadriel told her and them all watched as Sigrid walked away.

That night, everyone, be them elf, dwarf or human, gathered in the square, there was music and boars turning on the spit of some fire pits and everyone looked to be enjoying the wine and mead that was being passed around. Many of the children were still awake and running around, some were enjoying stories from some of the dwarves, particularly one from Bofur, and some were even treated to stories of Lothlorien and Rivendell by Lord Elrond and Lady Galadriel. Some people were dancing and prancing around to the music that played. Above all of them, on the top of a bridge stood Phoenix as she looked down at the town below, she watched the festivities, heard the laughter, felt the happiness and relief that flooded through the people. She saw her father talking to Bard and Hilda, no doubt about her, whilst Legolas showed Bain how to shoot an arrow properly. Tilda was sitting with Gandalf watching him with joy as he made small butterflies appear out of rocks from the ground and they flew around her and the other children and Bilbo who had gathered around him. She found Tauriel being coaxed through a fast paced dance by Kili, and she saw Fili and Sigrid sat on a stone bench together, talking and enjoying a mug of mead each. The rest of the company were playing games or eating the food on offer, the only person that she could not find was Thorin. But she soon found him talking to Dain and Dain looked to be rather angry about something, he was not exactly shouting but he was not far from it, Phoenix could still hear him with ease.

"Are you out of your mind?" Dain seethed. "First you frolic with that filth and then you even wear some elvish garment?" He flicked the cloak that Thorin still wore which Arwen had given him.

"It is part of their culture to receive gifts of acceptance from the family of the one I love." He told his cousin.

"Your whore has no family!" Dain shouted. "Thorin, wake up from whatever spells that she had put over you! She is an outcast, no one needs her and you will never be able to have a life with her! She isn't worth your kingdom."

"She is worth everything!" Thorin suddenly thundered. "Dain, I am the king, and if I choose her to be my Queen, then nothing will stop me!"

Dain seemed to be quite taken aback by his cousin's outburst but he did not seem to be willing to let it go that easily, but this time, he walked off away from Thorin to join in the festivities.

When he was gone, Thorin sighed to himself and he looked up at the bridge that Phoenix was on and he found her looking back at him.

"Stay there." He muttered and she nodded hearing him clear enough and Thorin walked into the city, before he ended up on the bridge with her.

"Did you hear what Dain said?" Thorin asked.

"Yes, I heard it all." She told him, looking out at the festivities.

"Do not pay attention to what he says." Thorin told her instantly.

"Thorin, relax, I'm not actually that bothered about it." She told him.

"Oh..." Thorin thought.

"Did you mean what you said?" She asked.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"About me being your queen, did you mean that?" She asked.

"I did." He nodded. "I want you to stay here in Erebor with me." He told her. "If you wanted to and you had no plans to return to Rivendell with your family, or to the Valley?"

Phoenix looked at him and she smiled to herself. "Of course I will stay here with you."

Thorin smiled and as Phoenix went to her dwarven size, and he pulled her into his arms and he kissed her deeply, feeling her hands move through his own dark locks as his hands wound themselves through her own tresses. As the two become lost in their kiss, people below them smiled as they saw them and Bard, Hilda and Elrond all held a smile.

"It's about time." Bard told them.

"You have no idea." Elrond told him. "I've been waiting for the day that she let someone take her heart for over two thousand years now."

Hilda looked at him. "She deserved someone like him; he really is a noble dwarf, who seems to care for her deeply.

"Aye, very deeply, I just hope he keeps his hands to himself." Bard laughed.

"So do I," Elrond told them, if only he knew what his adopted daughter got up to, but sometimes he was not sure that he actually wanted to know anything except that she was happy.

Meanwhile, Fili and Sigrid were sat in a secluded corner of the town, still seen by others but were now talking to each other in privacy.

"I believe that this is yours." Sigrid told him as she held out his dagger.

"Aye, it is." Fili nodded and he took the dagger from her, putting it back in its hiding place on his body.

"Why do you carry so many?" She asked.

"So many knives?" He confirmed. "Well, it's always better to be over prepared for an attack."

"Do you think that there will be one tonight?" She asked.

"I hope not, but do not fret." He told her when he saw the worries in her eyes. "I will protect you."

Sigrid blushed, looking away from him. "I am surprised that you haven't joined your friends in drinking yet." She told him.

"I am drinking, but I would rather enjoy some civilised company." He told her. "Are you not drinking either?" He asked, nodding to her cup of mead that had been untouched since he handed it to her.

"No, I need to be lucid in case Tilda needs me." Sigrid told him, quickly scanning the area for her younger sister and seeming to be rather relieved when she found her still talking to the grey wizard.

"She will be fine with him Sigrid." Fili told her. "But I know what you mean; I still worry for my brother." He looked over at where Kili and Tauriel were sat together, with Tauriel sitting on the floor between Kili's legs as he sat on top of the ledge of the well and he smiled slightly.

"I'm glad that Phoenix could bring you back." Sigrid told him rather suddenly and Fili froze mid sip of his drink and he looked at her.

"Truly?" He asked.

"Yes, truly." Sigrid nodded. "I can't explain it, but I worried for you, especially when I was told that you were going up to raven point."

Fili was secretly overjoyed that she had been worried for him, even though he had not wanted to cause her worry or pain, before he knew it, he had gently taken her hand in his and when she looked at him.

"Sigrid let me do something." Fili told her.

"What do you want to do?" She asked and she did not expect to feel Fili's lips upon hers and when they pulled away moments later, Sigrid did not know what to say, and instead she took her leave of the dwarf and almost ran in the opposite direction to him. Fili watched her go and he felt a horrible and sharp pang of guilt in his chest, now he really had ruined things with her and he had no idea how he was going to fix this.

Whilst Fili was wondering how he was going to fix this, Kili was enjoying his time with the elf that he treasured, sitting against his chest, between his legs and sipping from a goblet of Elvish wine.

"I never did answer your question." Tauriel told him suddenly.

"What question?" Kili asked, finding it hard to remember if he had ever actually asked her anything.

"You asked whether I could have loved you." Tauriel told him and Kili paled as he remembered. She had saved his life and he had asked her that after thinking that she was going to leave him.

"Ah...Yes...I did." He admitted and he smiled slightly at hearing the giggle that came from her lips as she took a sip of her wine, before she turned her torso around to look up at him properly.

"And I want to give you my answer." She took him as she sat up on her hunches, looking him directly in the eyes.

"What is your answer?" He asked.

"My answer, is that yes, I could love you, because I already do." She told him and suddenly her goblet of wine was out of her hands and on the floor, the last of the wine spilling everywhere as Kili pulled her into him and he kissed her. The kiss was so passionate that it took Tauriel's breath away and she swore that she could feel her heart dance inside her chest. It was a pleasurable feeling. When they finally broke the kiss they heard Kili's name being called and turning around, Tauriel saw a very worried Fili coming towards them.

"Something is wrong with your brother, mÎl nín." Tauriel told her.

Kili did not have time to ask what that small bit of Elvish meant, because his brother was soon upon him and he saw the worry on his face. "Fil, what's the matter?" He asked.

"I've messed up." He admitted, and he looked rather sheepish.

"What have you done?" Kili asked.

"I kissed Sigrid." Fili told him and Kili could not stop the smile breaking out onto his face.

"That's great!" Kili clapped him heavily on the back.

"It's not...She ran away from me." He sighed.

"Maybe she was not expecting it?" Tauriel offered when she saw how sad the prince was. "It could have come as a shock on top of everything else."

"You think I moved too soon?" Fili asked her, looking at her intently.

"It is a possibility, but maybe you should talk to someone who really knows her, like Phoenix." Tauriel offered. "And apologise to her."

"You're right...I will find Phoenix later, she seemed pretty busy with my uncle moments ago." Fili nodded. "But I should find Sigrid and apologise for my rash behaviour." He gave them both a quick bow before he was off once again, searching intently for his beloved.

When he was gone, Kili looked to Tauriel. "Do you think everything will work itself out for them two?"

"I do." She nodded. "I think that they love each other, just like we do."

Kili smiled and he used a hand to turn her face back to his. "Now where were we?" He asked and with a devilish smile that set Tauriel's pulse racing, Kili's lips claimed hers once more in a searing kiss.

 **Translation**

Esto thÎr daer : They look great

Hantalë tye, neth : Thank you, sister

Inyë estel esto tog tiutalë, edregol an i sén : I hope they bring comfort, especially to the children

Nányë sinwa han esto innas, nín heruin : I am certain that they will, my lady

Tye pedo edhellen mae, nín mell : You speak Elvish well, my dear

Mornie utulie : darkness has come

Mornie alantie : darkness has fallen

MÎl nín : My love


	23. Chapter 23

Love

The remembrance party had ended weeks ago, and Sigrid had been avoiding Fili ever since, and he hated how she was finding it so easy to do so. They had started to work on fixing kingdom of Erebor not long after the party since Bard was certain that the elves and town of men could finish up what the dwarves had almost finished themselves. So now, every dwarf was working to fix Erebor's majestic halls. This morning, Fili had just risen from his bed in his tent and after quickly dressing and arranging his weapons in their usual places, he left his tent and he found Thorin stood with Phoenix, Bilbo, Elrond, Galadriel, Gandalf and Arwen and he noticed that the elves of Rivendell and the Lady Galadriel were wearing their travelling cloaks.

"Are you leaving so soon?" Fili asked and Thorin rolled his eyes at his nephew stating the obvious.

"Yes Master Dwarf, we must return to Rivendell." Elrond told him. "But we do hope to have the opportunity to see you all soon."

"Aye, you will." Thorin nodded. "And I will make sure that you receive regular updates on Phoenix's life here."

Elrond nodded and the two clasped hands in farewell, before he left with Galadriel and helped her back into the carriage which had brought her, whilst Arwen was stood with Phoenix, talking so fast hardly any of them know what to say, but Thorin recognised a few words.

"Caro sûl han tye thÎr ab intyë, a ni estel an hlar siniath o tye arwa tya garn nothlir rato." Arwen spoke and Phoenix looked at her with a soft look that no one could recognise.

"Arwen, baw gar tya eslel acca hall, an ed balt ú lárë." Phoenix told her, and she kissed her sister's forehead, before she watched her get back into the carriage that had brought her and she watched the carriage pull away. As it pulled away, Phoenix felt someone's hand in hers and she looked down to find that Thorin had grasped her hand.

"You could have gone with them." He told her.

"No, I do not belong in Rivendell." She told him. "Peace and quiet was never my thing." She smiled and Thorin smiled with her as he pulled her hand to his lips and kissed it, before they walked back into Erebor, followed by Fili, Gandalf and Bilbo.

When they got back inside, it was a flurry of activity with loads of dwarves working tirelessly on the stone pillars and floor and walls of the kingdom.

"Hey Fili, get your backside up here and help!" Dwalin called down from above them and Fili could not help but laugh and after bidding the group goodbye, he climbed up to join his friend.

"Master Baggins." Thorin looked at the hobbit that immediately sprung to attention.

"Yes Thorin?"

"I assume you will be ready to start on the project that I assigned for you?" Thorin asked and he looked between Bilbo and Gandalf.

"Um, yes...Very well...Which way was it?" Bilbo asked.

"Master Bilbo, I will escort you there myself, but I think that we should leave these two alone." Gandalf told them.

Phoenix watched them walk away, before she looked at Thorin questioningly. "What was all that about?"

"Nothing that you need to worry about," He told her, smiling softly. "Now, come on, let's get out of here, I have something that I want to show you."

Phoenix nodded and she followed at his side as he led her through the halls and they soon came to the treasure chamber and Thorin looked over at her and he found her to be looking around, but she did not seem entirely taken aback by the amount or the types of treasure that was there.

"I knew it." He smiled triumphantly.

"Knew what?" She asked, looking at him.

"I knew that you were more of an elf when it came to treasure." He told her and he could see the confusion on her face so he decided to explain. "Whilst I was waiting for you last night, Dain found me, and he asked what I planned to do with you whilst Erebor was being rebuilt and I told him that I wasn't sure what job would suit you, but he said not to put you in the treasury because you would steal from us."

"And by not being amused by said treasure, you deemed me safe to guard it?" She asked him.

"Yes." Thorin nodded. "I mean, your skill is commendable on the battlefield and you aren't attracted to gold and jewels, who better than to make sure the treasure is safe and guarded?" Thorin asked.

Phoenix looked at him. "So I am to guard the treasure and that is all?" She asked.

"Only if you want to," He told her. "But I actually wanted you at my side for the remainder of your time here, surveying things with me and possibly getting your hands dirty."

"I'd like that." She smiled and together, they walked away from the treasure, though Thorin took one last look at it in triumph, he had beaten the sickness once with the reminder of his love, and now he knew that he would certainly do it again.

It soon came to the middle of the day and everyone was starting to get hungry, however just as they were about to send sentries out for food, a guard from the doorway run over.

"My King Thorin, legions from the town of men are coming towards the kingdom." The guard told him.

"They mean to rob us!" Dain suddenly thundered. "After all we have done for them."

"Oh Dain shut up." Phoenix told him. "And actually, you were willing to kill them, so do not think that you have done anything for them." She told him. "But they are actually here with food."

"Phoenix, take Tauriel with you and go and meet them, take them to the hall that I showed you." Thorin told her. "We will finish up here and join you soon."

Phoenix nodded and she and Tauriel walked away to help with the food and by the time the dwarves had washed and joined them, they found Tauriel serving out food to the company, Sigrid serving out food to Dain's men since they still refused to go near Tauriel, Tilda was walking around serving mugs of mead and Hilda was helping her and making sure that she did not drop any. The only person not in the room was Phoenix.

"Say Tauriel, where did Phoenix go to?" Bofur asked as Tauriel handed him a plate of food.

"Hilda sent her outside to collect the rest of the meat for this evening's dinner." Tauriel told him. "She should be back soon."

Bofur nodded and he walked away back towards the table where the company were sitting and some were teasing Bilbo. However, the all looked to the door as it was pushed open and they found Phoenix walking in, carrying a rather heavy looking stag on her shoulders that seemed to weight even more than she did. The minute they saw her, Bofur, Dwalin, Gloin and Kili tried to help her.

"Here lass, give that to us." Dwalin told her.

"Don't strain yourself." Bofur told her.

"Will you four at least move out of the way?" Phoenix laughed. "I've carried heavier than a stag before now." She told them as she put the stag with the rest of the meat and dusted off her hands and everyone in the room looked at her in surprise before Hilda walked up to her with a smile and patted her back.

"Thank you sweetheart," Hilda smiled. "I couldn't have managed that on my own."

"It's not a problem emel." Phoenix smiled and she kissed the woman's cheek, though it was a bit of a stretch since she was smaller than the woman as she was in her dwarf form.

"Will you eat with us?" Phoenix asked.

"Alas, we can't, we need to return to Bard." Hilda told her and she looked over at Sigrid and Tilda, before she looked at a very lonely looking Tauriel and then back to Phoenix. "Maybe you two should give us a hand getting back?"

Phoenix looked over at Tauriel and she noticed how lonely the wood elf had become and she nodded. "Aye, we might just do that."

"Might just do what?"

They both turned to find Thorin walking over with Fili and Kili in tow, and the minute Fili was close enough, Sigrid turned and started taking pots out of the hall back to where they had left the horse and cart.

"We might assist in taking the things back to Dale." Phoenix told him. "Tauriel looks a bit lonely with the other dwarves hating her and Kili being busy, and now you're helping with repairs so I really have nothing to do." She shrugged.

"They would be back by dusk." Hilda promised the Dwarf king and Thorin sighed, he knew that Phoenix was right so he nodded.

"Alright, make sure that you are back by dusk, I will meet you at the tent." He told her.

Phoenix nodded and she looked over at Fili. "Go after her, you foolish dwarf."

Everyone watched as Fili almost ran from the hall after Sigrid and he found her stood by the cart, smoothing her hand down the horse's face.

When she saw Fili, Sigrid tried to walk away, but realised that no matter which way she went, she would have to go by him anyway, so she gave up and threw her concentration on the horse.

"Sigrid, you've been ignoring me." Fili spoke.

Sigrid had no way to get out of this, so she simply sighed. "Yeah...I guess I have..."

"Why?" He asked.

Sigrid looked towards the horse who suddenly gave her a nip on her hand that had her yanking her hand back immediately.

"Oww!" She winced and she cradled her hand to her chest.

"Here, let me see." He told her she tried to pull her hands away, but he held them tightly in his and he checked them over, it was only going to be a bruise, but it still looked like it hurt.

"Here we need some ice." He told her.

"I'm fine." She told him.

"Just stop being stubborn, I get that you're upset with me for kissing you, but seriously, let it go." Fili told her.

"I'm not upset about that." She told him. "How could you think that I would be upset about that?" She asked.

Fili looked at her, he seemed pretty surprised by her reactions and Sigrid looked at him. "I'm sorry, I just assumed that since you've been avoiding me since the kiss, that I had angered you somehow."

"No...It's just...You kissed me and yet I know that you can't be with me." She told him.

"How do you mean?" Fili asked.

"You're going to be king under the mountain someday; you need a dwarrowdam who can give you dwarven heirs, not half human half dwarven heirs." Sigrid told him. "It felt like I was holding out false hope that we could be together."

"Sigrid, I'm in love you." Fili told her. "And nothing will change that, not even if I have to part with my title, because all I will want is you."

Sigrid looked at him and she smiled weakly. "Fili...I don't know what to say."

"Then don't say anything, and just kiss me." Fili told her this time she did and she kissed him passionately and lovingly.

Meanwhile, in the doorway, Phoenix, Tilda, Thorin, Tauriel, Kili and Hilda were stood smiling at the situation that they had happened upon.

"Well, Bard is going to go spare." Phoenix told them and them all had a quiet laugh.

"It's about time though." Tilda told them.

"Aye young one, it is." Thorin agreed, patting Tilda's shoulder.

"Now it's my turn to find a man, or dwarf, or an elf, I'm not fussy." Tilda told them proudly.

"Over my dead body." Phoenix told her and it set a laughter through the whole group.

Tilda tried to complain but Phoenix sent her away to help gather the things together so that they could be put onto the cart and Thorin pulled her to one side.

"I'm sorry." He told her.

"What are you sorry for?" She asked.

"For making you feel as though I do not need you here." He told her.

"Thorin, its fine." She told him. "I'm sorry I sounded moody."

He smiled softly at her and he pulled her close for a quick kiss, but even though Thorin intended for it to be longer, they were soon interrupted by Dain and some of his men.

"Hey cousin, hurry up, we need your help." Dain shouted to him.

"You and Kili should go back to the work." She told him and she smiled as she saw the look of annoyance on his face as Dain yelled for him to hurry up. "Do not kill him; remember that he is still your cousin." She kissed his lips again quickly. "I will meet you at our tent later." She promised, before she looked at Tauriel who seemed to be waiting as Kili was dragged away by some of Dain's men and she looked back at Thorin. "I can't wait until he is gone though."

"Neither can the rest of us," Thorin muttered, before he kissed her once more and left her to it, walking after his cousin.

Phoenix watched them go before she and Tauriel helped to load up the wagon and by then they were able to watch Sigrid say goodbye to Fili.

"Will you be back this way soon?" Fili asked.

"Tomorrow with more food, that will continue until Erebor is rebuilt." Sigrid promised.

"And then what?" He asked.

She shrugged. "I'm not sure." She admitted. "But we will still be able to see each other."

This seemed to pacify Fili who watched as Sigrid climbed onto the back of the wagon with the other woman of Dale and the horse was led away by both Phoenix and Tauriel. When they were nothing but specks in the distance, Fili went back inside and went back to helping rebuild his home.

They reached Dale just before the sun was due to set, the sky already pink in evening light. It was a pretty sight to behold, especially with the dark outline of the mountain in front of them.

"It is a beautiful night." Sigrid smiled.

"Aye lass, it is." Phoenix nodded as she glanced over at the backdrop of the mountain that her oldest godchild was looking at. "Even better when you know that someone is waiting for you at the place you're staring at."

Sigrid blushed and she hurriedly put the things away, before she took Tilda and Phoenix and Tauriel walked with them home. They got to Bard's house just as Bain was putting supper on the table.

"Phoenix, Tauriel, will you two be joining us?" He asked. "There is more than enough here."

"If it is no trouble." Tauriel told him.

"After all, it would be nice to have some civilised company." Phoenix told him and the pair hung up their weapons belts and sat at the table just as Bard came in.

"Ah, Phoenix, Tauriel, we weren't expecting you." Bard told them as he sat opposite Phoenix.

"We are sorry that it is such short notice." She told him.

"It's not a problem though Da' I made more than I should have." Bain laughed.

"Well then, problem solved." Bard smiled as he was handed his bowl of stew and soon everyone was eating. As they ate, Tilda mainly lead the conversation, telling Bard about everything that happened on the way to Erebor, and then whilst they were there and then she went onto what happened before they left.

"Oh and Fili and Sigrid kissed." She finished.

"Wait, what?" Bard asked, looking from Tilda to Sigrid, who was staring intently at her food, blushing and then to a laughing Phoenix. "Stop laughing." Bard told her.

"I can't help it." She told him through laughter. "Bard, Sigrid is a woman, she has been a woman for quite a few years now, it is only right that she finds someone who loves her."

"But...She's...He's...But..." Bard put his spoon back into his bowl and Sigrid looked at her father in worry.

"Da', are you alright?" She asked.

"My daughter has a lover, who just happens to be the crowned prince of Erebor and you're asking if I'm alright?" He asked her.

"Well...Um...Yes..." Sigrid asked him.

"I am...Alright...Now if you will excuse me, I would like to retire for the night." He told them, bidding them all good night; he walked off into his room and closed the curtain to his room.

"It is time that we got going as well." Phoenix told them. "Thank you for supper, and we will be sure to come back soon."

They nodded to her and Phoenix kissed them all on the head, before she and Tauriel started their walk back towards Erebor.

They walked in silence for a few minutes, before Tauriel looked over at her and she looked like she wanted to ask her something.

"Speak your mind." Phoenix told her.

"My apologies, I did not mean to stare." Tauriel told her, looking away. "But there is something that I wish to know."

"What is it?" Phoenix asked.

"How do you deal with being away from your family?" Tauriel asked. "I mean, I know that Lord Elrond is not your real father, nor is the Lady Arwen your real sister, but how do you stay away from them?"

"Well, I've been on my own, away from them for a while now, but Erebor is much further than the Valley when compared to Rivendell, so I'm not so sure yet." She told her truthfully. "I guess it's just something that I'm going to have to work on."

Tauriel nodded. "If you have any advice, then could you please share it with me, I mean I have my parents back in Mirkwood, but it would be nice to have someone to talk to about things like this, considering that you are closely related to my kind."

Phoenix looked at her. "What changed your mind about me?"

"You are not like what Thranduil said; he said that you were a monster." Tauriel told her. "But you look just as I do; you act just as I do."

"I'm glad that you have noticed." Phoenix told her. "But there is a secret that even I bear that no one but my father knows."

"Would you share it with me?" Tauriel asked.

"I might." She nodded. "Maybe sometime in the future."

Tauriel smiled slightly as they got to the tent site and they soon came to the part where they needed to split ways.

"Good night Phoenix." Tauriel told her.

"Good night Tauriel, now go and stay with your dwarf." She nodded to her tent. "He's waiting for you."

"Then I should go, goodbye." Tauriel bowed her head, before she walked into her own tent and Phoenix carried on towards her own.

Upon entering her tent, Tauriel found Kili fast asleep in his bedrolls and she couldn't help but smile at the sight of her dwarf fast asleep, his face free from worries.

"You're late." Kili murdered in his sleep.

"I stayed with Bard's family for supper." She told him, changing into her evening clothes behind a screen, before she climbed into her own bedrolls.

"Oh...At least you're alright." Kili mumbled.

"Of course I am." She told him. "Now sleep, you look exhausted."

"I will, I will." He muttered and everything went quiet for a few minutes before Kili's voice broke the silence once more.

"Tauriel," He spoke up. "Are you still awake?"

"Yes Kili." She told him with a sigh, looking over at him.

"Will you speak Elvish to me?" He asked. "It sounds lovely when you speak it."

"Very well," Tauriel sighed. "Nin mÎl tye entë gilith, nín hadhod caun."

"What does it mean?" Kili whispered.

"I love you more than starlight, my dwarf prince." She told him.

"I have one for you." He told her. "Phoenix taught me the phrase and I've been repeating it over and over to make sure I got it right."

"What is it?" She asked, looking over at him and found that his eyes were still tightly closed.

"Nalyë nín gilith, gwen uin eryn." Kili told her and Tauriel smiled.

"Here's another one for you." Tauriel told him.

"What is it?" Kili asked.

"Gar an fume, Kili." She told him, turning out the lantern.

"What does that mean?" Kili asked.

"Go to sleep." She told him and Kili chuckled.

"Alright, good night Tauriel." Kili murmured, before he fell back asleep from exhaustion.

"Good night Kili." Tauriel whispered and she too settled down to rest.

Meanwhile Phoenix was walking through the tents, and she passed campfire after campfire, some unattended, so she extinguished them, but the closer she got to hers and Thorin's tent, the more she began to recognise friends and she soon came to a campfire with the dwarves from the company and Bilbo all sat around it.

"Phoenix lass, come and join us." Nori shouted over.

"Keep shouting like that and you'll wake the whole camp." Phoenix warned.

"Well come on over then." He laughed.

"I would, but I'm already late, I promised Thorin that I would be back for the evening light, and as you can see, I'm very late." She told them and them all looked up at the starry sky.

"Ah...Yes I can see you're right." Dori told her. "Maybe you could join us tomorrow night?"

"I will definitely join you all tomorrow night." She promised, and she froze as she suddenly saw Thorin stood in their tent entrance and he looked angry. "Oh shit." She murmured.

"Looks like you're really in trouble now lass." Dwalin told her.

"I hope he isn't too hard on you." Bofur winked and Phoenix glared at him, before she walked towards Thorin and followed him inside the tent.

When Phoenix was inside the tent, Dwalin nudged Bofur. "Don't worries, I think she'll enjoy her punishment for making the king wait." He winked and both dwarves fell about laughing, until the fire in front of them sprung to life and they were both chased back to their tents by small versions of the phoenix bird that Phoenix could create and in the silence that came from the shock, everyone could hear Phoenix laughing from inside hers and Thorin's tent.

However, whilst Phoenix was laughing, Thorin just watched her, and he did actually look angry, and this was something that Phoenix did not fail to notice.

"What's the matter?" She asked as she turned around as she took her weapons belt off and hung it up.

"What's the matter?" He repeated her question. "You said that you would be back for dusk."

"I know, and I'm sorry, but it took longer than I thought it would to get back, and I only stayed longer to make sure that my family were okay." Phoenix told him. "And Tauriel and I stayed for supper."

Thorin sighed. "At least you've eaten; Dain and his men basically demolished every scrap of food we were trying to save you and Tauriel."

"It's the thought that counts." She told him and she walked over to him, kissing his cheek, before she pulled him to the bed. "Now, strip off the armour, get on there and lie on your stomach."

"Why?" He asked.

"You're tense, I can see it in your shoulders, so I'm going to help you relax." She told him.

Thorin raised an eyebrow, but he done as she asked and he was soon lying on his front on the bed in just his undershirt and leather pants. When he was ready, Phoenix put a pillow under his head and she straddled his hips, before she leant down close to his ear.

"Just relax." She whispered and Thorin shivered as her lips ghosted over his ear in a kiss.

"If you keep doing this like that, there will be no way that I could relax." Thorin reminded her.

"Awe shame," She told him playfully, before she started to work her hands into his muscles. As her massage of his muscles carried on, Thorin moaned in appreciation.

"Mahal Phoenix, where did you learn to do this?" He groaned, burying his head in the pillow she had given him to keep himself quiet.

"Originally, I learnt it in Gondor." She told him, continually massaging deeply into his shoulders as she spoke.

Thorin groaned as she reached a deeply needed spot. "You were taught well."

Phoenix smiled. "Now shut up and enjoy." She told him and it took a while, but Phoenix soon felt Thorin completely relax and she smiled to herself. "Feel better?" She whispered to him when it was over.

"Much better." He told her, rolling over suddenly so that she ended up lying on his chest.

She giggled as she looked at him. "Well I'm glad." She smiled, looking up at him.

Thorin smiled up at her and he kept his eyes on hers as Phoenix gently stroked his beard and she smiled at him.

"How is it that you don't have a long beard like everyone else?" She asked him.

"I used to, I used to braid it, but after the dragon attacked Erebor, I cut it and vowed to never grow it again until the dragon had been dealt with." He told her.

"So now that it's been dealt with, you'll start growing it?" She asked.

"Aye." He nodded. "If you would like it."

She looked at him. "Well I don't know what I like, all elvish males that I've seen are beardless and hairless, but I've only seen you with a little bit of beard and hair." She touched his beard gently and then his chest. "So I can't be sure if you would suit it."

Thorin looked at her. "And how would you know whether elves have hair on their chests?" He asked in mock astonishment.

"Because I have two brothers," She told him, with a playful hit to the chest.

"Ow, hey, I am your king." Thorin warned her playfully.

"Oh really?" She asked. "I wouldn't have noticed if it hadn't been for the large crown that has been on your head all day." She told him playfully and she was on her feet before he could grab her.

Thorin watched her as she grabbed one of his shirts from the chair and she shed herself of her own clothes, before she put it on, when she was dressed, she went to take out her braids but Thorin stopped her hands.

"Allow me." He whispered to her, before he gently kissed the tip of her pointed ear and caused a shiver to run through her. He gave a soft chuckle and started to untie her leather bands around her braids and he weaved his fingers through them until they were undone. Phoenix started to relax as she felt Thorin move a brush through her dark locks and she smiled softly as she let him do as she wanted with her hair. Thorin brushed through her hair as he watched her relax and he smiled to himself. Once her hair was thoroughly brushed and Phoenix was relaxed, he moved to press kisses to her neck and then eventually her lips. When Phoenix was able to deepen the kiss, Thorin pushed her back against the pillows and he loomed over her.

"Thorin..." Phoenix whispered as he removed his lips from hers and started to trace kisses down her neck.

"Hmm?" He asked, keeping up with his kisses.

"Make love to me." She told him and Thorin allowed himself a grin and he sat up to pull his shirt off of her and that was how they spent their night, cuddled together in their tent, making love to each other until dawn broke. And when the dwarves came to find their king, they found him fast asleep, with Phoenix's head lying on his chest and she too looked to be in a deep slumber, the blanket pulled up to her shoulder and the dwarves smiled knowingly at each other before they left them to it.

 **Translation**

Caro sûl han tye thÎr ab intyë, a ni estel an hlar siniath o tye arwa tya garn nothlir rato : Make sure that you look after yourself, and I hope to hear news of you having your own family soon

Arwen, baw gar tye eslel acca hall, an ed balt ú lárë : Arwen, do not have your hopes too high, for it might not happen

Emel : Mother

Nin mÎl tye entë gilith, nín hadhod caun : I love you more than starlight, my dwarf prince

Nalyë nín gilith, gwen eryn : You are my starlight, daughter of the forest

Gar an fume : Go to sleep


	24. Chapter 24

Meeting Dis

The repairs of Erebor had gone well, everyone seemed to be getting on as well as could be expected. Much to Dain's annoyance, Thorin had given Tauriel and Phoenix the job of guarding the treasure of Erebor and so far all they had done was sit on top of piles of gold coins, throwing gems between each other out of boredom.

"Have you seen much of Kili?" Phoenix asked as they threw diamonds and rubies to each other.

"Not really, have you seen much of Thorin?" She asked.

"Not as much as I would like." Phoenix sighed.

"I'm sure that they both feel the same as we do about the situation." Tauriel told her.

"I hope so." Phoenix smiled slightly, throwing a ruby to her and she watched as Tauriel immediately dropped it.

"Phoenix you're heating up the gems again." Tauriel told her.

"Sorry Tauriel." It took a few minutes for Phoenix to cool everything around her down and she looked over at Tauriel. "You know, it's funny."

"How so?" Tauriel asked looking over at her.

"When I stayed in the Valley, before I met anyone to do with Thorin or even Erebor, I could not think of myself as being anyone's, 'woman' or 'lover' and in truth the entire notion seemed a bit ridiculous to me." Phoenix laughed. "Kind of ironic really."

"Very." Tauriel smiled. "My position could possibly be seen as ironic also."

"How so?" Phoenix asked.

"Well Thranduil cared for me when my parents were on missions, and they always said that once I fell in love they would support my decision..."

"But you've heard nothing from them?" Phoenix asked.

"Exactly." Tauriel told her. "I'm not one hundred per cent sure that they are aware."

"Why don't you send them a Raven?" Phoenix offered.

"Good thought." She nodded. "I'll do it later."

Phoenix nodded and she looked up as she heard someone coming into the treasury and they both looked up to see Ori looking down at them.

"Thorin wants to see the both of you in the throne room." Ori told him and they both nodded and got up, running up the steps to meet him and together they walked off to find Thorin.

They found him just where Ori said he would be, in the throne room leaning back against the throne. Fili and Kili were on either side of them and as Ori led the two in Kili stood up straight as he saw Tauriel and he gave her a rather loved up smile.

"The lady Phoenix and lady Tauriel, my King." Ori told him, bowing his head to the king who had now sat up straight to look at them.

"My lord." Both Phoenix and Tauriel curtsied as they waited to be acknowledged by the King.

"Lady Tauriel." Thorin smiled in welcome, allowing his nephew to walk to his lover as he got up from his chair and walked to Phoenix, tilting her head up with one of his hands.

"Amralimé." He whispered and Phoenix looked up at him and she smiled, taking the hand he offered and he brought her to her feet.

"Ori said that you wanted to see us." Phoenix told him.

"I did." He nodded. "I have a matter that has been pressing for some time and I feel that it is only right to ask the opinion of the pair of you."

"What is it?" Tauriel asked.

"I have been receiving news from my sister - Dis." Thorin told them and both Fili and Kili seemed a bit surprised.

"Why has she not contacted us?" Fili asked out loud and he sounded a bit hurt.

"She wanted to surprise her sons." Thorin told them.

"Consider us surprised."Kili told him.

"Well anyway, Dis is coming here." Thorin told them. "She'll be here in a few days."

"What!" Both do the princes chorused.

"Uncle that doesn't give us a lot of time." Fili told him.

"To do what?" Tauriel asked.

"Prepare how to explain yours and Kili's relationship for a start." Fili told her.

"Surely she would be okay with it." Tauriel told them.

"Tauriel my mother hates elves more than Thorin did, but Phoenix is the one in real danger." Kili told her and them all looked over at Phoenix who looked at them as emotionless as ever.

"Mother could possibly attempt to harm Phoenix, because technically in our mother's eyes, Phoenix's species shouldn't exist." Fili told them as Phoenix simply shrugged.

"It won't come to that." Thorin told them. "I'll protect Phoenix from Dis just as Kili will protect Tauriel from her and you will protect Sigrid."

"What? There's nothing going on with Sigrid and I." Fili rebuffed and everyone just looked at him.

"Yeah sure." The group chorused.

"But seriously, please stay together you two." Thorin told Tauriel and Phoenix. "Have each other's back if one of us isn't close by and please don't take anything to heart that my sister says."

"Thorin you worry too much." Phoenix told him. "Everything will be fine."

Thorin looked at her and he nodded, entwining his hand with hers as he spoke. "Aye it will."

They both smiled at each other and Phoenix pressed her forehead to Thorin's as she smiled.

Kili and Tauriel were also in their own world, they seemed to be lost in each other and poor Fili was forced to stand between them the two couples.

"Um...Okay..."

"Jealous brother?" Kili asked.

"No." Fili told him.

"Maybe we should fetch Sigrid in order to help him." Tauriel spoke up and she found everyone looking at her. "What?" She asked.

Suddenly everyone started laughing, whilst Fili went bright red.

"I fail to see how I have made you all laugh." Tauriel told them.

"You are coming to understand dry dwarf humour." Phoenix told her. "It is a good thing."

Tauriel looked at her and nodded slightly. "Oh."

Everyone smiled at her before they all stood with their respective partners and Fili followed on behind as they were all led by Thorin to the walkway that stood on the front of Erebor, overlooking their lands and that of Dale.

"When do you suppose Uldoniair will return?" Thorin asked randomly and both of the princes looked interested whilst Tauriel looked to have no idea who they were on about.

"As soon as she can she will be here." Phoenix told them looking out from the wall she was leant against.

"Why did she not come with us?" Fili asked.

"I had a task for her to complete." Phoenix told her.

"What kind?" Kili pressed.

"She had to find someone that I once saved from almost death."

"Anyone we know?" Fili asked.

Phoenix looked at Thorin who looked back at her. "You might as well tell them."

"Tell us what?" Fili asked, looking between Thorin and Phoenix.

"Your grandfather, Thrain, is alive, Phoenix found him as the orcs were taking him towards Gundabad and she saved him." Thorin told them and the princes looked between them both. Fili and Kili seemed fairly surprised at the news but not as surprised as Tauriel.

"You took on a whole army of orcs by yourself?" Tauriel asked.

"And that is where the stories get blown out of proportion." Phoenix told her. "No it was only a small battalion, no more than a hundred I don't think."

Everyone still looked at her, not even Thorin had realised that it had been that many!

"So wait a minute, you're telling us that you, Rhavaniel Eccaia, Phoenix of the North, had taken on a battalion of orcs in order to save one dwarf?" Kili asked.

"That sums it up rather well." Phoenix shrugged. "But I had a little help."

"From who?" Fili asked.

"Uldoniair." Phoenix shrugged. "Dire Wolves are ferocious when they need to be."

"This Uldoniair is a dire wolf?" Tauriel asked.

"Are you sure?" Thorin asked. "She didn't look big enough when we last saw her."

"She's not fully grown." Phoenix shrugged. "She might be when she gets here."

"Do you worry about her?" Thorin asked.

"Not really, she's still a wild wolf, even if she lived with me in the Valley." Phoenix shrugged.

Everyone nodded in understanding, before they all retired for supper.

It took a few more days for Thorin to receive a Raven on his windowsill from his younger sister.

"It's for you." Phoenix told him as she walked into his changing quarters, catching him mid-dress with only his pants on.

"Who is it from?" Thorin asked as he fastened his belt and pulled on his tunic.

"Your sister I think." She told him and she handed him the letter as she made a start on helping him get his robes on. "What's the matter?" She asked after she brushed out the lines on his fur overcoat and she had noticed him tense.

"My sister will be here by tonight." He told her.

"Great, let's go and tell everyone." She told him and Thorin seemed surprised at how upbeat Phoenix was about this.

"How are you so happy about this?" He asked her.

"Why shouldn't I be?" Phoenix asked. "Yes your sister might hate me with every fibre of her being, but I'll still have you, Kili, Fili and Tauriel, and anyway she can't do to me something that hasn't already been done." She told him, kissing his cheek. "So come on, let's go."

Thorin left the room with her and he still seemed surprised but he knew that Phoenix was right, she was older than all of them, and she had seen things. As they walked they found themselves going towards the dining hall and they already heard the laughter of the dwarves. "Poor Tauriel." Phoenix laughed.

"Come on, let's save her." Thorin told her and as they both entered the hall everyone went quiet, until they sat down and then it started up again. Phoenix sat next to Tauriel who gave her a look of thanks before they both started to nibble at their food. Halfway through the breakfast, Thorin called for the room's attention and when everyone was silent he got to his feet.

"This morning I received news from my sister." Thorin told them. "She sends word that she will reach Erebor by tonight, so I ask that we make them welcome and have a feast in their honour at midnight tonight."

Everyone in the room seemed happy about it, except for Tauriel who was worried about what this woman would do not only to her, but to Phoenix as well. Kili looked to her and saw the worry in her face so he decided to banish it as he rested his hand on hers.

"Everything is going to be okay." He promised her.

"Let the lass worry." One of the guards shouted and Kili noticed him to be a close friend to Dain. "After all, she's going to need to for when Dis finds out about whatever this is." He gestured to Kili and Tauriel's entwined hands. "She'll kill the whore and beat you within an inch of your life Kili."

"I suggest you shut up." Kili told him with a snarl.

"Aye and I suggest you mind your own business." Dwalin told the dwarf.

"Who are you to speak to me in such a way?" The dwarf sneered, watching as Kili got to his feet in rage.

"I am a Prince of Erebor, the woman that you are addressing so cruelly may eventually be a Princess of Erebor, and Dwalin is one of the dwarves who will not only protect Tauriel and I at any cost, but will also beat the bitch out of you." Kili told him and by now everyone had gone silent and they were all staring at the group.

"Kili what is going on?" Thorin asked.

"Nothing Uncle." Kili told him and Tauriel slid her hand fully into his when he was sat back down.

"Don't let him get to you." She whispered to him, kissing his cheek.

"Well cousin I would love to know how you plan to explain this," Dain told him as he gestured to Kili and Tauriel and then to Thorin and Phoenix. "To your sister, because I'll tell you now, your little whore doesn't stand a chance." He pointed at Phoenix as he said it. "Dis will make mince meat of her."

"I can look after myself." Phoenix told him as she picked up her goblet. "I do not fear Dis just like I do not fear you." She told him, taking a sip of her drink. "But I will not fight her."

"Why not lass?" Balin asked. "If any dwarf asks for a challenge which I do think Dis might, no dwarf can refuse."

"I'm not just a dwarf." She reminded. "But I will not upset Thorin by fighting his sister, because there is only so much a sword will stand against fire." She told him before she looked at Thorin. "Forgive me my love but I have lost my appetite." She told him walking from the room, leaving silent dwarves and a silent elf behind.

When she was gone, Balin looked at Thorin. "When are you going to tell her that the room in which she sleeps used to belong to your sister?"

"I'm hoping that I don't ever have to." Thorin told him and Balin looked at him, hoping Thorin knew what he was doing, as he went back to eating breakfast.

Phoenix then wandered down to the stables and she found her horse standing tall above the numerous ponies and Rams, alongside Tauriel's horse.

"Carnahan, Rhagon, come here." She told them, using the common tongue out of boredom. "Would you like to go for a ride boy?" She asked Carnahan, patting his snout as she spoke. Carnahan seemed happy enough and he nodded his head before Phoenix went to collect his tack and saddle and she got him ready.

"Don't worry Rhagon; I will have him back soon." She smiled and the horse huffed before he walked away leaving Phoenix rolling her eyes. "Stubborn horse." She muttered and once she had finished saddling Carnahan, she pulled her leather gloves from her back pocket and she attached her weapons before she climbed into the saddle before they were off, Carnahan running wild out of the stables and into the open, the horse breaking into a sprint as soon as they were out of Erebor. He continued running until they were miles away in the surrounding mountainous ridges.

"Thorin's sister is coming back to Erebor today." Phoenix told the horse. "She's going to absolutely despise me." Phoenix sighed. "I'm trying to be positive for Thorin, but I can't keep it up anymore." She told the horse, stroking his mane as she spoke. "If Dis asks for a challenge then I'll give her one and she'll realise not to fucking touch me."

The horse nodded in agreement with his rider and he sniffed her hand when she reached fully forward and rubbed his snout.

"Come on boy, let's do some hunting."

With that they disappeared into the mountains, looking for any worthy prey to hunt. They eventually found a large stag walking throughout the lands, his head held high in a regal manner and he seemed to be oblivious to them.

"He will keep the dwarves satisfied for weeks." She told Carnahan who nodded his head at his rider's judgement.

"After you." She gestured to the horse and the horse walked forward. At seeing the horse, the stag stood its ground, and walked forwards swinging its head to show off its antlers but Carnahan just looked at it. Only when it got close enough, did it rear up ready to hit Carnahan with its hooves, and Phoenix shot an arrow into its chest and the stag fell sideways onto the ground - dead! When it was fully dead, Carnahan lay down and Phoenix tied the rope that was in her saddlebag to the saddle before she tied it around the stag's back legs and as Carnahan stood up she looked at him.

"How's that?" She asked him, she knew it was weird asking a horse if they were alright dragging a load, but it was no weirder than Carnahan nodding as an answers Phoenix's question.

"Alright, let's get back." Phoenix told him and just as they were about to start walking, another stag seemed to appear from nowhere and at seeing the stag being dragged away by Carnahan, he charged but ended up crashing into Phoenix who was already stood between them. As his rider was knocked to the floor and trampled by the other stag, Carnahan forgot about the other stag attached to him and reared up onto his back legs using his own hooves to stun the stag and that gave Phoenix time to stab it through the chest with one of her swords. When the animal lay dead at their feet, Carnahan sniffed at Phoenix as she held a hand to one side of her chest, she definitely broke some ribs from that. However, despite her broken ribs, Phoenix grabbed some rope from one of her saddle bags and after deeming there was enough, she tied both of the carcasses to the saddle and she climbed onto the saddle and had Carnahan ride off heading back towards the mountain.

With the slowness that Carnahan had to ride in order to not jostle Phoenix's broken ribs, it was well into the afternoon when they returned to Erebor. By the time she got there, Phoenix was white with agony, and luckily enough Tauriel was in the stables when she got there after leaving the animals bodies with the guards who took them to get prepared for the feast.

"Phoenix, what happened?" Tauriel demanded as she saw the paleness of her friend and watched her get off her saddle with a small cry of pain.

"Broken ribs, I think." Phoenix wheezed.

"Someone send for a healer." Tauriel told he surrounding dwarves and she took Phoenix to her room, helping her onto the bed.

After a few minutes no healer had come and Tauriel had no choice but to leave Phoenix lying where she was, currently unable to breathe properly because of the pain and she ran into the hallway and found Balin and Bofur.

"Balin, Bofur." Tauriel told them.

"What is it lass, are you alright?" Bofur asked.

"I need someone to get a healer, its Phoenix, her ribs are broken and she really can't breathe right now." Tauriel told them her voice flooded with urgency.

"Bofur, run and fetch Oin and Thorin, he will need to be notified, and I'll sit with you and Phoenix." Balin told her and as they went to Phoenix's room, Bofur ran through the halls looking for Oin and he found him talking to Thorin about some issue.

"Are you alright Bofur?" Oin asked.

"Tauriel sent me, Phoenix somehow broke her ribs and now she can't breathe properly, you need to hurry." Bofur got out and Thorin had tensed before he took off quickly walking towards Phoenix's chambers. When they entered they found Balin stood on Phoenix's bedside with Tauriel and Phoenix looked to be sleeping.

"What happened?" Thorin demanded.

"We don't know lad, Tauriel said that she came back from a ride like this." Balin told him. "Oin, we need you to make sure that Phoenix's ribs are on the right place, Tauriel is keeping her almost in a sedated sleep to ease the pain with her healing."

Oin nodded and he swapped places with Balin, resting his hands on Phoenix's chest and he felt her broken rib easily.

"How is she still moving, it's almost broken the skin it's that badly shattered." Oin muttered and he looked at Tauriel. "Get ready to heal lass."

Tauriel nodded and as Oin managed to gently push the ribs back into their rightful place without causing further damage, Tauriel sent further healing energy into her body to hopefully heal her and ease her pain. When it was over, Tauriel checked Phoenix over and everything else seemed fine but she kept her under sedation as Oin went off to get her something for the pain.

"How could she have gotten this bad?" Thorin wondered.

"How is she?"

The question came from Fili and Kili, who had appeared in the doorway and they looked equally worried.

"She will be fine; Oin has gone to get her something for the pain." Tauriel told them.

"Good...You know she brought back two pretty impressive stags." Fili told them.

"Really?" Thorin asked and he looked back at Phoenix and he looked at the side which contained her injury.

"What are you thinking Uncle?" Kili asked.

"I think Phoenix took a pair of antlers or hooves to the chest, which was how she got her injury." Thorin explained.

"It was."

Everyone looked at Phoenix who was looking at them with half lidded eyes, and Thorin brushed his hand to her cheek.

"You're meant to be unconscious." Thorin told her.

"I'm fine." She told him but as she tried to sit up she winced and gave a soft yelp of pain. "Okay maybe not as fine as I want to be." She sighed.

"You rest for the rest of the day." Thorin told her as Oin came back with some pain relief mixture that according to Phoenix tasted horrible.

"You're mad right?" Phoenix told him. "I'll go mad if I sit in here all day on my own."

"Then Tauriel, Fili and Kili will sit with you." He told her.

They all looked at him before they all nodded and Phoenix admitted defeat. It took all of three hours before the four of them sat there bored. Fili and Tauriel were sharpening their weapons, Kili was watching the fireplace and Phoenix was watching the ceiling.

"I'm bored." Phoenix complained.

"Me too." Kili sighed in agreement.

"Tauriel, can you help me up?" Phoenix asked.

"Why?" She asked.

"Fili, Kili can you two get Oin for me, tell him it's not an emergency but don't tell Thorin." Phoenix told him and the brothers looked confused but they left the two women alone. When they were gone, Phoenix looked at Tauriel.

"I need you to help me to change into my dress."

"But Thorin told us that you cannot move." Tauriel told her.

"I know, but I'm not going to start off on the wrong foot with his sister." Phoenix told her as she got herself to her feet and Tauriel ran to her, grabbing her before she could fall when she felt the full pain of her broken ribs hit her.

By the time the dwarf princes were back with Oin, Phoenix was dressed in a red flowing dress.

"What's going on?" Fili asked.

"Tauriel and I are getting ready to meet your mother." Phoenix told him.

"But you're meant to be lying in bed." Oin told her.

"I can't let Thorin's sister think anything bad on me." She told him as she ran a brush through her hair.

"But you still need to heal." Oin told her and the princes tried to guide her back to bed but she stepped around them.

"Honestly I'm fine." She told them walking to Oin. "Can I have some pain relief now?"

Oin sighed and nodded and he handed her the medicine, watching her drink it all before they all had to leave and get ready. It was not long after the princes came back dressed in their finery that Thorin came into the room and he didn't look happy at seeing Phoenix on her feet, but he decided not to comment. However he still had his nephews and Tauriel walk on ahead of him and Phoenix and she stopped her.

"I have a gift for you." He told her.

Phoenix looked at him as he forced her to sit in a chair in front of her dressing table and he moved her hair over her shoulder and Phoenix watched his reflection as he put a necklace of gems that were as pure as starlight and they shine against her skin.

"Oh Thorin, it's beautiful." She told them.

"I found the jewels that Thranduil asked for, he told me the necklace belonged to your mother, and I thought it only right that you had it." Thorin told her.

"It was my mother's?" She asked.

"Aye." He nodded and he watched Phoenix gently touch the necklace with the tips of her fingers before she looked at him. "Are you ready?"

She nodded and Thorin helped her to her feet before he brought her out of the room and the pair walked hand in hand through the halls and into the throne room. Upon reaching it, Thorin walked through the crowd, towards his throne and he made sure to keep a tight hand on Phoenix so that she could join him. When Thorin took his seat in the throne, Phoenix stood at his right hand side next to Fili who gave her a reassuring pat on her arm, and then on his other side stood Kili and Tauriel, with Kili gently holding Tauriel's hand. Many people came forward and bowed to the group at the throne, and it didn't take long for an announcement to be made that Lady Dis had arrived.

Within minutes of the announcement being made, the doors to the hall were thrown open and a woman, with a bulky body, long flowing black hair and a small gathering of dark hair on her chin, wearing a crimson dress walked into the room.

"Where are my boys?" The woman shouted. "Fili, Kili, front and centre my lads!"

The princes looked at each other, before Tauriel gently pushed Kili forward, just as Phoenix done the same with Fili and the princes walked over to their mother, who suddenly enveloped Fili in a death grip hug.

"My boy, the crowned prince of Erebor!" The woman shouted, deafening poor Fili as she did so, and she eventually let him go before she moved on to her youngest son. "And my wee lad, Prince Kili." She did not shout this time as she addressed Kili and Thorin quickly explained to Phoenix and Tauriel that it was because he was the youngest that his title was not proclaimed as loudly. Both of the women nodded before they watched as the princes returned to their posts and then it was Thorin's turn.

"Brother dear, won't you come and greet your sister?" Dis asked, looking directly at Thorin, almost like she did not see the women on either side of him.

"Of course I will." Thorin told her. "But your sons are your sons; they should have their time with you before I." He continued as he got up and pulled his sister into a hug, and when they broke apart, Thorin turned serious. "Now sister, there are two people I wish for you to meet."

Dis looked at him and then she looked towards the throne where there were still two women stood.

"Really?" She asked, pretending not to have seen them.

Thorin nodded and he looked back at Phoenix and Tauriel. "I would like to introduce you to your youngest son's love, Tauriel of Mirkwood." Thorin introduced and this time it was Kili's turn to push Tauriel forward and at the push, she walked towards Thorin who held a hand out to her. Both Kili and Phoenix noticed that Tauriel's 'captain of the guard' persona was back as soon as she was called upon by Thorin.

"An elf?" Dis spat and Tauriel looked at her, before she curtsied, choosing to ignore the woman's distaste for now.

"It is an honour to meet you Lady Dis." Tauriel told her, as she got back to her normal height.

"And who is this other wench?" Dis demanded, looking back at Phoenix who was watching her, emotionless as when Kili, Fili and Thorin first met her.

"She is commonly known as Phoenix, a fire ranger from the north, of Mirkwood, Rivendell and the Valley of Peace." Thorin told his sister as Phoenix walked forward and Tauriel walked to Kili's side, who took her hand immediately. "The love of my life." Thorin spoke and he felt his sister's eyes on him in shock as Phoenix slid her hand into his when she joined them and Thorin kissed her hand.

"Lady Dis, it is an honour, I have heard much about you." Phoenix told her as she curtsied to her and then Thorin led them for dinner.

Dis remained in shock as they all sat to enjoy the feast that had been prepared and Dis looked along the table as she sat on her brother's left hand side, next to Fili, opposite the 'love of his life'. As she looked down the table, she saw Tauriel and Kili conversing with Dwalin, a hobbit and Gloin and they seemed to be laughing at a long forgotten joke. Looking back at the head of the table, she found Phoenix talking to Fili and Balin who sat on her other side and they were also laughing about a joke that she had not heard, even her brother was smiling at the secret joke.

"Mother, are you alright?" Fili asked quietly.

"I will be if you told me that you have fallen for someone who is at least of our race, and not like these two whores." She whispered to him.

"Mother...I have not fallen for anyone of our race just yet." Fili told her, he knew that he was lying, but if his mother called Tauriel and Phoenix whores now, without knowing them, he hate to think of what she would called Sigrid, without even seeing her.

"Good, you need proper heirs for the throne." Dis told him and she took a sip of wine from her goblet.

"Mother, Phoenix and Uncle Thorin might still be able to have children of their own, so I won't need an heir." Fili reminded her. "After all, Uncle Thorin is still able to have children, he's 'young' enough."

"Do not say such swill Fili." Dis told him. "Children or not, you are still the named heir to Thorin's throne and this whole kingdom, so you will need a good dwarven bride, who is able to aid you in that task."

Fili sighed, giving up the conversation and Dis noticed that Phoenix had looked at him and mouthed something to him, which Dis did not understand fully, but she noticed that Fili nodded to her. The mere gesture made Dis' blood boil, how dare they speak about her and right in front of her face! She was not going to stand for that, but she planned to wait until the best time. Eventually, it was time for everyone to be given dessert, and then Dis decided to have a conversation with her brother's 'love'.

"So Phoenix, you seem to come from a lot of places." Dis mentioned.

Phoenix looked up at her. "Yes, my mother's family come from Mirkwood, my adopted father is from Rivendell, but I've spent most of my life in the Valley of Peace, near Bree." She told her.

"I don't care for that." She told her plainly. "So, have you ever been part of royalty?"

"My mother was princess of Mirkwood." Phoenix confirmed.

"Then what about your father?" Dis asked, and everyone around them stopped eating and talking, listening in to their conversation.

"I don't know." She told her. "I don't know his name."

"Could that be because your mother is a whore?" Dis suddenly asked. "Just like you seem to be."

"My mother, was an honest elf princess, my father was nothing more than a dwarf who hated elves and decided to destroy her purity." Phoenix told her. "End of story, but I am no whore."

Just as Dis was about to say something, Thorin intervened and he stopped his sister from saying anything else.

"Dis, enough." Thorin warned.

"Excuse me, my love, I've lost my appetite." Phoenix told him as she gently touched his hand with hers and she headed out of the room.

"Can't she defend herself anymore?" One of the other dwarves sneered.

"She's obviously ashamed of the truth." Another told them.

"Please just shut up." Bombur told them, his fist suddenly coming down on the table. "Do not talk about her when you don't know her."

Everyone looked at the fellow dwarf, who was usually the quietest of all of the dwarves, but had suddenly got a fire under his belly.

"Excuse me!" Dis almost screeched.

"You can't judge someone who you have only just met." Bomber told her. "After all, she has never done anything to you; you've only just met her."

"Do not talk to me like that." Dis told him. "Thorin, tell him."

"Shut up." Thorin told her. "And I mean you, Dis." Thorin told her.

Dis glared at him and she watched as Thorin got to his feet and he looked at his people. "Now, I want to make one thing clear, if anyone says anything bad about Phoenix or her parentage, then you will deal with me." He warned them. "No matter whom you are, and the same will go for if anyone says anything about Tauriel." He continued. "Now, if no one minds, I will be going to join my lover, and if we are disturbed, I will be head whoever it is." He told them and everyone watched him leave the room, before Dain looked at Dis and the pair of them left the room, meeting up outside.

"We'll get her out." He told her.

"Of course we will." Dis told him. "Thank you for warning me about her; I will make Thorin see sense before too long."

Dain nodded. "I will help anyway that I can." They shared a quick handshake, before they walked off to their rooms. Yet they failed to notice that a guard had overheard the pair and said guard walked straight towards the chambers of Thorin and Phoenix.


	25. Chapter 25

Warning

Meanwhile, Thorin was sitting on his and Phoenix's bed and he was watching the fireplace that had roared to life thanks to Phoenix as he waited for her to come back out from behind her screen after changing out of her dress.

"Do not let what my sister said to you hurt you." He told her.

"Don't worry, I won't." She told him, walking back out from behind the screen in a more opaque night dress than usual and Thorin looked over at her. Even though the nightdress did not hug her curves like her others, this one will still able to show off her legs, which were pale and scarred. As Phoenix lay on the bed, carefully lowering herself against the pillow in order to not jostle her broken ribs, he pulled her legs up so that they went over his lap and he traced some of her scars.

"Do they not disgust you?" She asked him.

"Why should they?" He asked. "I have my own scars."

"Yes, but you are a warrior and a king, you would not be thought less of by having scars to prove that you are strong enough to be king." She told him and Thorin rolled his eyes at her.

"These scars show that you are a warrior and more than capable to be my queen, and rule at my side." He told her.

"You need to propose to me yet." She told him playfully.

"All in good time." He told her with a smile, kissing some of the scars on her legs.

Phoenix smiled at him as she watched him and Thorin trailed kisses up her leg until he got to the edge of her nightdress and he leant up to kiss her lips. As soon as the kiss started it was over as there was a knock on the door and Thorin groaned.

"I said that I didn't want to be disturbed!" He shouted in annoyance, but Phoenix pushed him towards the door regardless.

Walking to the door, Thorin almost threw it open in annoyance, but he was surprised to find a dwarrowdam dressed in a male dwarf's armour stood on the other side.

"My Lord Thorin, forgive this interruption." She spoke with a formal tone and a bow.

"This had best be good." He told her.

"Is the Lady Phoenix with you?" She asked and Thorin caught the urgency in her voice.

"She is what do you need her for?" He demanded.

"I come with grave news, and I fear that if I don't tell her then she will be in danger." She spoke and Thorin suddenly dragged her inside, looking at her and then to Phoenix, who was sitting on the bed, covered by the blanket.

"What is it?" Phoenix asked her.

"My lady, please forgive me, for I would not have interrupted if I did not feel that it was important." The dwarrowdam told her.

"Hurry up and tell us already." Thorin told her and Phoenix could tell that his patience was wearing thin.

"What information do you have?" Phoenix asked, her calming tone seemed to put the dwarrowdam at ease a bit more than Thorin's did.

"The Lady Dis and Lord Dain are plotting against you my lady." She spoke. "I overheard them saying that Dis would make his majesty see sense, I do not know what they meant but I do not think that it will be good for your health my lady."

Phoenix grabbed Thorin's hand as he reached for his sword, before she got herself to her feet, thankful that she did not wear one of her less covering nightgowns and she picked up a small satchel of coins from her dresser.

"What is your name?" Phoenix asked.

"My name is Baztia, my lady." She told her with a bow of her head and she looked up to see Phoenix press something into her hand and she looked down to find the small bag of coins had been put into her grip.

"My lady, I cannot accept this." She told her.

"You can, I know the price for giving information about a royal if you're caught." Phoenix told her. "I know that no amount of gold will ever be enough, but I wish to pay you for your service to your king, and hope that you don't feel offended by my action."

Baztia shook her head. "My lady, I could never feel offended by anything you do, for you are too sweet and kind." She put the coin purse into her pocket. "I will continue to serve you both with any information that I can." She bowed to them. "But I must take my leave, good night my king." She bowed to Thorin. "And my lady." She bowed to Phoenix before she left the room, shutting the door behind her.

When she was gone, Phoenix looked at Thorin and she found him looking at the fireplace contemplating something and she sighed to herself, walking over, she put her arms around him from behind, resting her head in between his shoulder blades.

"Don't worry about anything." She told him.

"I have to worry about it." He told her. "You are mine, and no one will take you from me." He almost snarled and Phoenix moved back to turn him around to face her.

"I will always be yours." She promised him. "But nothing is going to happen to me." She told him.

Thorin looked at her. "I'm not taking any chances, I will do all I can to protect you." He told her.

"I know you will, but let us deal with it in the morning, it's late and we both have to be up early in the morning for the meeting with your council." She told him and he nodded.

"Alright, let us sleep; tomorrow we will think about this much more." Thorin agreed and he took her hand, guiding her back to the bed, and he let her settle herself under the blanket before he got undressed down to his undergarments and he slid into bed beside her. He pulled Phoenix against him, so her head rested on his chest and he soon felt her fall into a deep sleep, but Thorin could not sleep. What Baztia had told him had hit him to the core, he was now worried for the safety of the woman in his arms. He knew that many of the dwarves here adored Phoenix and her nature to be kind and sweet to whoever she was with despite their position, but he also knew his sister. If it came to it, could he allow Phoenix to defend herself against his family? He eventually fell asleep that night to the soft sounds of Phoenix breathing, but Thorin's mind was racing, he would have a plan set up in order to save Phoenix from his sister and his cousin, he just needed to convince her that it was a good idea. He awoke the next morning to being shaken and he opened his eyes slightly to see Phoenix sitting over his stomach, straddling him and shaking him.

"Ah, you're awake." She told him. "Come on, Balin knocked on the door moments ago, we have overslept." She told him, getting up and off his stomach before she went behind her screen to get changed and leave Thorin with some time to wake up.

When she came back out, she found Thorin still getting dressed and she sat on the bed, pulling on her boots as she watched him.

"I need to talk to you later." Thorin told her.

"Alright, can we talk after I've warned Tauriel and Kili about what Baztia said?" She asked. "I worry for them also."

"Of course, I was also going to suggest that you tell Tauriel what is going on whilst I find both of my nephews." Thorin told her.

Phoenix nodded. "I must be honest; I am surprised that Fili has kept his and Sigrid's relationship a secret for as long as they have." She commented.

"It must be easier since Sigrid doesn't live in the mountain like you and Tauriel do." Thorin suggested and Phoenix nodded.

"That is true." She got to her feet and she looked at him. "Are you ready to go?"

"Just let me get my crown." He told her with a laugh and he soon found her in front of him and he looked down at her as she held his crown in his hands and she reached up to place it on his head. When she was satisfied with where his crown sat, she looked him in the eyes and smiled.

"There, perfect." She told him and he smiled, leaning down to kiss her gently.

She ended the kiss quickly and softly, kissing his cheek as he smiled and the pair of them left the room and they walked hand in hand towards the meeting room.

They reached the room and already they could hear the arguing from the dwarves inside. Looking to the woman at his side, Thorin squeezed her hand and Phoenix looked up at him and he saw her eyes harden into a persona that he claimed to be her 'Ranger'.

"We will get through this." He told her.

"Together." She told him and she kissed his lips gently, a hand reaching to hold his jaw. They pulled away before they got too carried away with each other and Thorin nodded to the guard who opened the door.

"Announcing, King Thorin, Son of Thrain and Lady Phoenix," An announcer shouted and the group inside went quiet as they looked at them, many bowed their head to Thorin, but they still held gazes of discontent towards Phoenix. Thorin led her to where his throne stood and there was another one beside it.

"I had a throne constructed for you." He whispered to her as he stopped beside the new throne. "You sit at my side now, no other."

Phoenix looked at him and she smiled, sitting down in the throne that he had given her and she looked at the armrests, the detail showing flames and a phoenix, the notion making her smile to herself. When Thorin was sat next to her, the arguing started again, and Phoenix kept her hands in her lap, folded around each other. She was not dressed like the other noble dwarrowdams that she could see dotted around the room, instead she was dressed in her usual leathers and white shirt, and she found that Thorin liked her style, but some of the other dwarves seemed almost offended. They debated different topics over the time that the pair spent there, Phoenix found that she could remember the topics clearly but the decisions were another matter all together, however, that was when things became intense.

"My lord," A dwarf spoke, he had been the main voice in many of the arguments and Phoenix was sure that he just liked the sound of his own voice more than getting the opinions across. "There is one topic that is burning for us all." He spoke with such finality that Phoenix had some idea of what the matter was about already and so did Thorin as he tensed in his throne.

"What topic is this?" Thorin asked, trying to play it blind, though he already knew what was to be discussed.

"Your marital status, my lord." The dwarf spoke and Phoenix looked over at Thorin.

"What about my marital status?" Thorin asked, still somehow playing it cool, whilst Phoenix could feel her heart beating in her chest, threatening to explode.

"We wish to discuss the topic of you marrying a proper dwarrowdam." The dwarf spoke. "As you know my lord, you cannot marry someone of poor blood." He looked pointedly at Phoenix. "As it could affect the health of your children in the future, and as you know, my lord, we need strong heirs to take over from you."

"The lady Phoenix is able to have strong children." A voice shouted out, silencing the speaking dwarf and Phoenix noticed it to be the dwarf who what people called a Soup-Sayer.

"How can you be so sure of that?" Another dwarf demanded.

"Because I have the power to see these things." The dwarf chimed.

"It does not matter to me whether Phoenix is capable of having children or not." Thorin's voice echoed through the hall before the other dwarves started to argue."As long as she is happy, that is all that matters." Thorin told they and he looked at Phoenix to find her already having left the throne beside him and slipping out of the door and he sighed to himself. "Now if that is all, I have other business that needs attending to."

With that, Thorin took his leave and he walked along the corridors, knowing exactly where Phoenix had gone, because all he had to do was follow the line of dying torches. As he walked, he ignored the looks of many people who bowed or asked for his audience, he had one task and that was to follow in the steps of the one who loved. Meanwhile, Phoenix had found herself on a balcony overlooking the training arena and she almost jumped when a voice appeared behind her.

"You do know that you project when you're angry, right?" Tauriel asked.

Phoenix looked back at her as she joined her. "Sometimes I don't notice."

"What's upset you so much that there are now corridors of unlit torches?" Tauriel asked.

Phoenix sighed and she told Tauriel about the meeting with the other dwarves and dwarrowdams and Tauriel sighed.

"Tye mab san odog na gûr, mellon nín." Tauriel told her.

"Inyë ista." Phoenix sighed. "But I don't know how to make this better." She told her.

"It is not you who needs to make things better; it is those who doubt you." Tauriel told her, moving to sit on the railing of the balcony. "Now what else troubles you?"

"Last night I was warned." Phoenix told her. "By a female guard, her name is Baztia; she told me that Dis and Dain could be planning to harm me."

"But Thorin would stop them, wouldn't he?" Tauriel asked, suddenly tense, looking at the fellow women next to her.

"He would try to, but you know where I stand on that, if it was a question of my life for his, I would happily take his place." She told her. "But I am telling you to warn you, because if they come after me, then they will most likely come after you next."

Tauriel nodded. "I will alert Kili and Fili." She nodded. "Now what else has your mind enraptured so much that you stare into space as you speak?"

"How can I be sure that I am able to give Thorin what he needs?"

"Like what?" She asked.

"Like children." Phoenix told her.

"You worry too much over something that is out of your control." Tauriel told her.

"But, what happens if I cannot give him healthy children?" She asked. "Tauriel, he will need to replace me."

"That will never happen."

The voice caused them both to jump and they turned around to find Thorin stood behind them and Phoenix looked down at the floor as she realised that he had heard every word that she had said.

"Thorin...Forgive me." She whispered.

Thorin walked to her and as soon as he was in front of her, he kissed her as deeply as he could, Tauriel looked away and she quietly bowed her head and walked away. Sensing that they were alone, Thorin pressed Phoenix against the railing of the balcony that they occupied and he pressed kisses along her neck, listening to her breathing as it turned into breathless pants.

"Never assume that I could fall out of love with you so easily." He whispered against her skin.

"Prove to me, it's not that easy." She told him and Thorin took her hand and pulled his lips from her neck, before he brought her to her room and he threw her down on the bed before he locked the door. Sitting herself up, Phoenix looked at Thorin, her eyes meeting his and she met the eyes of a hunter, wild yet sure as they focused on what they wanted. As he walked over to her, he shed his robes, watching as she peeled off each individual item of clothing. When she was down to her corset and her under clothes, Thorin was naked and he knelt on the bed, but before he could do anything, Phoenix was on her knees in front of him and she moved a hand to the back of his neck and pulled him close so their lips met in a heated kiss. Phoenix shivered at feeling the rough hands of her dwarvish king on her hips as he pulled off her remaining clothes himself and she pulled her lips from his so that he would still feel her breath on his lips.

"Make love to me." She whispered and Thorin was all too happy to oblige, pushing her back onto the bed as he removed her corset and that was exactly what he did.

Meanwhile, Tauriel had made her way down to the training room where she found her lover and his brother sparring with each other. There were no other dwarves in the room except for Dwalin and Gloin who were training the two princes. However, Gloin spotted her and soon put an end to the training.

"Aye, Tauriel, lass, come down and join us." He shouted up to her.

"No thank you Gloin." She told him. "Actually, I have been given news by Phoenix that I wish to share with the princes."

"Would you like us to leave lass?" Dwalin asked as she walked down into the arena to join them and Kili immediately stopped training and walked over to his elf.

"No Dwalin, I believe that you two should stay." Tauriel told them. "I met up with Phoenix earlier, and she told me that a dwarrowdam visited her and Thorin last night, and warned them that Dain and Dis are plotting to harm Phoenix. She only told me because she worries that if they manage to get to her then they would come for Sigrid and me next." She told him, and with every word she felt Kili's arm tighten on her waist.

The others all looked at her, even they did not think that it would come to this, but obviously they had been wrong.

"Don't you worry about thing lass, we will speak to Thorin about this later on tonight, and then we will have a good plan of what to do about it." Dwalin told her.

"I'm not worried." Tauriel told them. "Phoenix and I already travel in pairs; it will be hard for them to get to either of us with the other one looking out for them."

Gloin nodded. "That is a good point lass." He told her. "But maybe Thorin already has a plan in motion."

"Aye and I think I know what plan he is going to put into place and Phoenix might kill him." Fili told them.

"What plan?" Tauriel asked.

"He's going to give Phoenix a bodyguard." Gloin told her.

 **Translations**

Tye mab san odog na gûr, mellon nín : You take so much to heart, my friend

Inyë ista : I know


	26. Chapter 26

Goodbye

Days passed and it soon came time to see the young hobbit off so that he could return to his home. Only a few weeks had passed since they had finished Erebor, and the young Hobbit had seen everything that he could muster, his adventure would certainly be a good story to tell any young hobbits that he had in the future. Thorin had made Baztia Phoenix's bodyguard during this time to ensure his lover's safety around the rest of his family. However on this day, there was not much to worry about as Dain had left to go back to the Iron Hills that morning, so it was only Dis left to work around. However, for once, Phoenix had not complained about this choice and both she and Baztia had spent their time getting to know each other, with Baztia teaching Phoenix some dwarven customs and Phoenix teaching Baztia Elvish customs. Thorin was just happy that Phoenix was safe and that she had started to make relations with the dwarves around her, and they were trying with her. But right now, said dwarven elf was riding with some of the other dwarf warriors, Tauriel and Baztia, hunting a stag for the leaving feast that they were having in honour of Bilbo that night, whilst Thorin stole a few minutes away from preparations to find said Hobbit and find him he did. The young hobbit was staring down at the treasure hoard.

"Does it not phase you?"

His voice made the hobbit jump and Thorin realised that he should have made some form of noise when he was approaching, but he also realised that he was starting to pick up traits from his beloved.

"No, not really." Bilbo told him as he looked back at him. "Does it still phase you?"

Thorin took his time to answer it, looking out over the treasure horde, before he looked back at the hobbit. "Sometimes." He answered truthfully. "Sometimes it does, but only when I'm away from Phoenix for long periods of time, then the minute she comes within range of the mountain I'm alright." He shrugged.

Bilbo looked at him and he saw the hint of love in his eye as he spoke of Phoenix. "You two are truly meant to be." He told him. "I wish you the best life possible."

"Thank you Bilbo, maybe you could come back and visit." Thorin suggested.

"Definitely, maybe when you and Phoenix marry, and maybe when you have kids of your own?" He asked whilst Thorin simply laughed and agreed with him.

That evening the hunting party came home and they were greeted by Thorin, who only knew that they were back through the feeling of weightlessness he felt whenever Phoenix was close. As he walked into the stables, he found his lover climbing off of Carnahan's saddle, and he watched how agile she was as she swung her legs over the saddle and slid to her feet.

"Aye laddie, we know she's amazing, but stop staring."

Thorin jumped at the voice only to find Dwalin stood next to him cleaning a knife after he had cleaned the kill.

"Aye Dwalin, she is amazing." He told her with a smile, looking over at Phoenix as she conversed with Tauriel as she brushed down Carnahan's saddle and riding gear. "I don't know where I would be without her."

"The sickness?" Dwalin asked him quietly.

"It's gone, every time I'm near her, it vanishes." Thorin told him, looking over at Phoenix. "I marvel at the power she has, and she doesn't even realise it."

"I think she knows lad, throughout the whole journey she kept looking back towards the mountain, even when she thought that we weren't able to notice. Fili even brought it up once or twice." Dwalin told him.

Thorin looked over at Phoenix as she concentrated on caring for Carnahan, her forehead pressed to her horse's nose and she seemed to be speaking to him in soft Elvish, her voice so soft and quiet that Thorin could not hear what was being said, but that did not bother him too much, he would ask her later.

When they all left the stables, they all went up to their respective rooms to start getting ready for the feast that night for the small Hobbit. Thorin took Phoenix's hand as he walked with her to their room where they found the maids already making up a bath for her.

"Ladies, would you mind waiting?" Thorin asked them and the dwarrowdams both stopped and looked at them, bowing to the king and his lady.

"Thorin, leave them be." She told them.

"No, I wish for you to meet your lady in waiting." He told her, looking for one in particular and he found her. "Ah, there you are, come here."

Phoenix watched as a small dwarrowdam walked forward to meet her.

"Hello my lady, my name is Falla." The dwarrowdam spoke with a curtsey.

"Please just call me Phoenix." Phoenix told her and Falla nodded before she looked at the rest of the maids. "Ladies, could you leave me to talk with my lover, please?"

"Of course my lady." They all curtsied as they left and Phoenix locked the door.

"Amrâlimê, if you wanted some privacy you could have just said." Thorin told her, a mischievous glint to his eye, the direction of this conversation would certainly knock that look off his face.

"This is getting ridiculous." She told him and true to her thoughts, the look of mischief left Thorin's face immediately.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"First the bodyguard, now the ladies in waiting?" She asked.

Thorin looked at her, he was fortunately, prepared for this reaction. "My love, it is tradition for the royal family to have bodyguards and ladies in waiting."

Phoenix looked at him. "And we do in the world of the elves, but I've managed without them for so long, living here isn't going to make any difference."

After a bit more debating, Phoenix decided to keep her bodyguard and the lady in waiting and Thorin was more than happy, watching as Phoenix was helped with her bath by the maids, Falla washing and styling her hair as Phoenix did the drying part.

Thorin remained lying on the bed as he watched the dwarrowdam fix Phoenix's hair and he noticed how relaxed it made her to have someone playing with her hair.

"I will have to play with your hair more often as you seem to like it so much." Thorin told her with a playful smile.

Phoenix looked over at him and she smiled. "You've had ample opportunities to play with my hair." She reminded him. "You just never asked."

Thorin smiled and he watched Falla take Phoenix behind her changing screen, her arms laden with a blue dress.

When she came back around the screen, he had not moved from his spot on the bed and he seemed awestruck when he saw her. The dress did not cling to her body like dwarvish dresses, instead it followed the elvish design that Arwen wore when she visited. The bodice and skirt were a deep blue, but there was a sheer light blue overlay to the dress which brought out the colour of Phoenix's eyes.

"My lord, do you wish for me to summon the servants to help you dress?" Falla asked, looking at the king.

"No thank you Falla, I am perfectly capable." Thorin told her and the dwarrowdam bowed before she left the couple alone.

"You really should get dressed." Phoenix told him.

"Alright, alright." He told her playfully, getting to his feet and he grabbed some clothes from his closet, before he also went behind the screen to change. When he came back out, Phoenix was already holding his king robes and his crown was sitting on the bed. Walking over, he let her slip them onto him before she put the crown on top of his head after pressing a kiss to his forehead.

"I love you." She whispered.

"I love you more, Amrâlimê." He told her with a whisper, pressing their foreheads together.

She looked up at him, meeting his eyes and she smiled. "Come on, we need to go and enjoy the banquet for poor Bilbo."

Thorin smiled slightly as he nodded and taking her hand, he led her down to the banquet hall, where they were announced and the whole room watched them as they took their seats. When he and Phoenix were seated, Phoenix on his left and he stood, gaining the rooms attention immediately.

"My friends, may we offer thanks to the person who is the reason for this banquet tonight?" Thorin spoke with authority as he looked at the dwarves in front of him, before he raised his tankard. "To Mister Bilbo Baggins, who without him, we would not have been able to take back our home and our treasure."

"To Bilbo Baggins!" The crowd chorused, getting to their feet with their tankards, before the feast began.

It was well into the night when Bilbo watched Phoenix and Tauriel converse together in the corner and he walked over, making sure that Thorin could see him as he looked at Phoenix.

"May I have a dance Phoenix?" He asked, nerves flooding his voice.

Phoenix simply smiled at him. "Of course Bilbo." She told him as she got to her feet, kissing Thorin's cheek before she looked at Bofur and his band. "Play us a song Bofur."

"Aye lass." The dwarf nodded as he and his band started to play and the hobbit and dwarvish elf started to dance together.

Thorin watched the hobbit and Phoenix and he could not keep the smile off his face as he watched them dance. Phoenix had made her height short enough to dance easily with the small fellow and despite her long skirts; they were both dancing quite well to Bofur's music. But suddenly something went wrong and Thorin watched as there was a dwarf running towards Phoenix and Bilbo and he could not react quickly enough when he saw the knife in the dwarf's hands. However, Phoenix saw it and she quickly pushed Bilbo to the floor out of the way as she threw up an arm to block the knife, causing both she and the dwarf who had started the attack to fall to the floor. Almost everyone ran to the group who were sprawled on the floor, Bilbo on his own, but Phoenix was on her back, the dwarf having landed on top of her, and suddenly there was a pool of red from between them. As Thorin threw himself to his knees beside his love, Dwalin, Gloin and Fili dragged the dwarf off of Phoenix and as they did the source of the pool of red became clear when they saw the knife jammed under Phoenix's ribs.

"Mahal, Phoenix..." Thorin breathed suddenly beginning to panic; he had never seen her hurt like this before.

"Phoenix!" Tauriel shouted as she soon seemed to appear beside him and Thorin looked from her to Phoenix who was trying to sit herself. "Ú Phoenix, dartha eno." Tauriel told her, just as Gandalf rushed over.

"Let her do it Tauriel, she knows her own healing better than the rest of us." He told them. "But you may need to help her pull the knife out, Thorin."

Thorin looked from Phoenix's face to the knife and then back to her. "I can't..."

"Here lass, I'll help you." Dwalin suddenly spoke up and he gripped the knife handle, looking to Phoenix's face. "Ready lass?"

Phoenix nodded as she gripped the fabric of her dress and as soon as Dwalin pulled the knife out, she pressed the dress fabric tightly to the wound. The whole scene almost made Thorin want to throw up, but he kept it in as he watched her, within seconds of the knife being out, Phoenix's skin started to heal, the pool of blood disappearing. When it was fully gone, Phoenix sat herself up with some pain and Thorin helped her to stand.

"You lass are full of surprises." Dwalin told her.

Phoenix just looked at him. "Product of being me, two species both want to live, use each other to do so." She told him with a shrug. "In other words, it's hard for me to die." She then looked at Thorin. "Let me go and change and I'll be right back." She promised him and before he could say anything, she was gone, walking through the corridors to her room.

When she was out of earshot of the others, Phoenix leant against a wall and she finally let her mask down to show the amount of pain that was shooting through her after being stabbed.

"Suffering gods." She whispered before she pushed herself off of the wall and started walking back towards her room.

When she was in her room she pulled off her dress and walked over to her closet, finding another elvish style suitable for the party downstairs, and she put it on. When it was on and she deemed herself acceptable in the mirror, she walked down towards the party. Upon her entrance, she suddenly found Dwalin in front of her.

"Lass, I am here as your bodyguard." He told her.

Phoenix sighed softly and she nodded. "As you wish it." She told him. "Do you dance Dwalin?" She asked as they walked through the crowds.

"Not a lot lass, but I do know how to." He told her.

"Then will you dance with me?" She asked. "I don't know how to dance."

Dwalin looked at her and he could not help the nod in compliance that he gave her. "Alright lass, I'll dance with you." He gently took her head and led her onto the dance floor where he started to dance with her. They seemed to be having fun, Dwalin taking her through a dance that was not too fast and not too slow, and they laughed every time Phoenix put her foot in the wrong place or stood on Dwalin's foot.

Eventually, their dance was broken by Dwalin receiving a pat on the shoulder and they both turned to see Thorin stood behind the warrior.

"May I interrupt this dance?" He asked.

"Of course my king." Dwalin told him, placing Phoenix's hand in his and when he moved out of the way, he watched as the King and his lover danced a slow dance. Soon the time grew late and as the dance ended, Phoenix found the Hobbit walking up to them.

"Good evening Bilbo, are you having fun?" She asked.

"Yes Phoenix, I am, but I am here to bid you both good night as I am about to retire for the evening." He told them.

"Well, sleep well Bilbo; we will see you in the morning." Thorin told him and the pair shared a handshake in goodnight whilst Phoenix hugged the young Hobbit.

"Sweet dreams Bilbo." She whispered to him, before they watched him go. When the Hobbit had left them, they were left with sweet music that had Thorin leading Phoenix in another dance. They danced together in their own world, until Thorin was pulled away for some 'important' business.

When she was alone, Phoenix walked over to where she could see Tauriel sitting at a table alone after Kili was dragged away for some 'important business' and she sat opposite her.

"Having fun?" She asked.

"Very much." Tauriel told she and Phoenix could hear the sarcasm in her friend's voice and it made her smile.

"Me too." She told her truthfully.

"How are you feeling?" Tauriel asked.

"I feel well." She promised her she them noticed the untouched drink in front of Tauriel. "Is Kili still feeding you mead?" She asked.

"Yes, but only because there isn't anything else for me, Thorin is trying to get some elvish wine, but Thranduil is being stubborn in his trading agreements." Tauriel told her.

"We might need to set up trade with Mirkwood to do that...I'll talk to him later." Phoenix told him.

Tauriel nodded, before they both turned at hearing their names and they saw that they were the only ones left in the room, say for Thorin, Kili and Dwalin who was bidding them good night and left the two couples to their business.

"Amrâlimê, we are heading to bed, do you wish to join me?" Kili asked, holding his hand out for Tauriel who took it happily with a nod.

"Mîl nín." Thorin spoke softly and held his hand out for Phoenix's who took it as she got to her feet.

Bidding good night to each other, the two couples walked in different directions to get to their respected rooms and Thorin and Phoenix walked the short distance to their room. They had taken to calling it their room, instead of Phoenix's room since Thorin never seemed to leave it!

When they were safely in their room, Thorin bolted the door and he looked over at her from where she sat at her polished marble dressing table, running a brush through her dark hair.

"Are you well?" He asked her, his voice concerned and worried that she was still in pain from the attack earlier in the evening.

"I am." She told him glancing at him through the reflection in her dressing table mirror. "You must not worry so much or you will gain more grey hairs than you already have."

Thorin looked at her with narrowed eyes; he did not want a reminder that he looked much older than her, even though the roles were certainly well reversed in that respect.

"Don't look at me like that; you know I'm the older one." She told him as she put her brush down. "You just have more experience."

"Only in certain things." Thorin reminded her playfully before he leant against the stone bed posts of their four poster bed and watched her walk over to her changing screen, undoing the dress as she went and it fell to the floor just as she got to the screen, giving Thorin a nice show of her bare backside and the bare white skin of her back. She was a vision from any angle, that much was clear to him and he started to undress as she changed. By the time she came back around the screen, wearing one of his favourite night gowns which ended just above her knee, he was lying in bed, the blanket covering past his waist, but Phoenix could tell that he was naked; the blanket was not thick enough to hide the slight bulge under his waist at seeing her in her night dress.

"You look good enough to eat my love." He told her, turning onto his side to watch her slide into bed with him.

"Then eat me." She told him, mainly to see what he would do, but she was not surprised when he had her night dress off and he devoured her long until she was screaming his name into the dead of night, before falling into a peaceful sleep in each other's arms.

 _Thorin woke up stark naked, lying on his back with the blanket pulled up to just below his waist and Phoenix's head on his chest, her hair a mess, her skin warm to the touch and her naked shoulder his own reminder of their night of love making. He smiled to himself as he gently brushed a thumb to her shoulder, but he froze as he felt her stir against him._

 _"_ _Good morning." She murmured._

 _"_ _Good morning." He whispered, moving to kiss the top of her head, but instead he felt something wet in her hair. "Your hair is damp." He commented._

 _"_ _I know..." She whispered and Thorin looked closer, and everything shifted. They were no longer in the comfort of their room, they were in a battle field, he was away from his love on the floor somehow, his men littered the ground around him as he saw his beloved, battered, bruised and bleeding in the midst of a battle against many creatures that he could not recognise. As she killed the creature at her feet, she looked over at him, her eyes searching for his in the commotion, but suddenly one of the creatures came up behind her and before he could warn her, the creature brought a club straight down on top of Phoenix's head. The sickening sound of her skull being crushed in had him running to her in panic. As he killed the creature with his own sword, he fell to his needs before her, turning her to face him. Her face covered with blood and skull pieces and brain pieces, her eyes wide open, the once lively eyes staring blankly through him, his beautiful love was gone. At this realisation, he let out an earth shaking scream as his heart broke; it was so loud that he did not hear his name._

"Thorin, wake up! Thorin!"

Phoenix's voice pulled him back to the present and he opened his eyes to see Phoenix leant on the bed next to him, a robe around her body, her hands pressed on his chest from where she had been shaking him. Next to the bed were Oin, Tauriel, Kili, Fili, Dwalin and Balin.

"Are you alright laddie?" Balin asked him.

"What happened?" Thorin asked.

"You were shouting in your sleep, you woke Phoenix up and she couldn't wake you. She thought that you were trapped in some form of sleep curse, so she called for the guard outside to fetch Oin and he told the rest of us." Fili explained.

"I must have been having a dream..." Thorin muttered, feeling foolish that they were all here because of him when they should have been sleeping and he sat himself up slightly, before he looked over at Phoenix who was still perched next to him as white as a ghost as she looked at him in worry. At seeing the worry in her eyes, he reached a hand up and brushed it to her cheek. "I am alright my love, it was just a dream." He told her, before he looked at the others gathered around. "I am sorry for having you all up at this ungodly hour, please go back to sleep."

"Uncle, it is light." Kili told him, nodding to the sunlight coming in through the window.

"We have been trying to wake you for hours Thorin." Tauriel told him.

"Still, we all need to go and get ready." Phoenix told them. "Thank you all for coming, I feel horrid for asking it of you."

"Nonsense Phoenix, you were worried, it was only natural." Dwalin told her, resting a hand on her shoulder. "We will see you both at breakfast." He told them before he ushered the others out of the room before he shut the door.

When they were fully alone, Phoenix walked around to Thorin's side of the bed and she poured him a mug of the water that had been brought up in a jug by Tauriel when she came to join her and as he sipped his drink, she dressed in her usual leather attire.

"What was your dream about?" She asked him after a few minutes of silence.

"It was...About you..." He told her, moving to put the cup down as he sat on the edge of his side of the bed, his head in his hands. "I watched you get your skull smashed in by a creature that I did not know." He told her.

Phoenix walked over to him and she knelt before him, using her own hands to move his head so that he was looking at her. "Thorin, do not fret, I am here with you, alive and well." She told him. "Do not worry for me my love."

Thorin looked at her and he took her face in his hands. "I could not live without you Phoenix."

"Nor I without you." She told him. "You are my life, my moon and my stars."

"You are my everything." He told her, finishing off their small passage of love to each other, before Phoenix pressed a kiss to his forehead and moved to let him dress. Once he had only his kingly robes and his crown left, Phoenix took over and she helped him into his robes, enjoying the ability it gave her to smooth down the tension in his shoulders as she smoothed out the robes. Then she walked round to face him and she rested his crown on top of his head.

"One day you too will have a crown that I will place upon your head." He told her as he took her hands into his.

"You need to marry me first." She reminded him and it made him smile, that was all she ever said when he mentioned giving her a crown and becoming his queen.

When they were both dressed and presentable, they walked together through the halls of Erebor until they got to the banquet hall which was now full of dwarves and Bilbo and Tauriel all enjoying breakfast.

They sat in their usual seats at the table, with Phoenix sitting across from Bilbo who sat at Thorin's right hand instead of Fili, but the young prince did not seem to mind. He happily chatted away with what Bilbo would be doing once he got back to his 'little box'. Looking around, both Phoenix and Thorin noticed that there was no Kili in the room and Phoenix looked to Tauriel.

"Where's Kili?" She asked.

"He said that he had something to finish off." Tauriel told her. "He's in the forge."

Phoenix nodded and she looked at Tauriel. "Are you alright about him going?"

"I'm alright about it." Tauriel nodded. "We cannot let Bilbo go without any protection or let Fili go without his brother."

Phoenix smiled softly. "That is true."

Thorin watched the pair of them and he smiled, before the announcement of Kili's arrival was made and the minute that he tried to make his way to Tauriel, Dis dragged him over to where she sat with a group of dwarrowdams and she started to introduce them to him. However, Kili shook his mother off and walked over to Tauriel, pulling something silver from his pocket.

"I made you something." Kili told her and Tauriel did not have time to turn around and look at him as she felt the coldness of silver going around her neck and she looked down to see a deep green emerald set into a silver pendant.

"Oh Kili, it's beautiful." She told him.

"It's my promise to come back to you." Kili told her, kissing her neck.

"In one piece with no wounds hopefully." Tauriel told him and she moved so that he had more room to kiss her neck.

Thorin and Phoenix looked at each other and they shared a knowing smile, Thorin gently squeezing her hand gently.

Getting back to breakfast, it was early afternoon before they all congregated outside of the gates of Erebor, where a pony was stood alongside the ponies that Kili and Fili usually rode. This pony was carrying saddlebags of jewels and gold. They all turned as they found Bilbo walking towards them, wearing rich looking robes and a travelling cape of rich red satin and fastened with a silver buckle.

"You look very nice Bilbo." Phoenix told him as he walked to her and she hugged him. "Take care, young Hobbit."

"And you take care as well, Phoenix." He told her and he left her to speak with Gandalf as he walked over to Thorin.

"You are always welcome here Bilbo." Thorin told him.

"Thank you Thorin." Bilbo nodded. "Maybe I will come back, when you and Phoenix are getting married and then maybe when you have children on your own."

Thorin nodded. "I would be honoured for you to be part of these events when they happen." He told him.

Bilbo smiled. "This place is somewhere that I will never forget." Bilbo told him as he looked back at the mountain. "And it's people." He told him, looking back at the dwarf king who had become his closest friend in their time together.

"And we will not forget you." Thorin told him, the pair clasping hands and wrists in a sign of the most loyalist of friendships.

Bilbo smiled and the pair of them walked to his horse and when he was in the saddle, he looked over at Fili who was saying goodbye to Dis, Kili who was saying goodbye to Tauriel and Phoenix who was saying goodbye to Gandalf, before he looked at the other dwarves from the company and then to Thorin.

"Don't lose her Thorin; she is the only good woman that you might ever get." Bilbo told him.

Thorin smirked at the wisdom of the Hobbit and he nodded. "Fear not Bilbo Baggins, I will keep her with me for eternity."

Bilbo nodded. "See that you do."

"Farewell Bilbo Baggins, go home to your box." Thorin told him with a playful smile.

"Farewell Thorin Oakenshield, go back to your throne and your love." Bilbo told him as he saw Phoenix come up behind Thorin and take his hand as she stopped at his side.

"Pleasant journey Bilbo of the Shire." Phoenix told him.

"And pleasant life, Phoenix of the Valley of Peace." Bilbo told her with a smile, before they all watched as Bilbo, Fili, Kili and Gandalf all rode away with a small army of guards following on behind them.

When they were fully gone, Thorin looked to Phoenix and they all headed inside, the King's hand securely wrapped in that of his lover's. He held her close to him as he looked at her.

"I received word last night that Bard was coming and bringing his daughters, do you know about this?" He asked.

"I heard that Sigrid and Tilda were coming." She told him with a nod.

"So I guess that you will be spending some time with them?" Thorin asked as they walked through the halls to the throne room.

"If that is alright with you." She told them. "I was planning on teaching Sigrid and Tilda how to defend themselves."

"Is there something going on with them?" He asked, suddenly on guard, as he treated Phoenix's family like his own now, and the two princesses were just as much of her family as they were his now.

"I don't know...But I don't trust that Alfred." She told him.

"Then do what you must to help them train in order to be able to protect themselves." He told her.

"I plan to." She told him, kissing his cheek just as there was an announcement that Bard and his daughters were here and Thorin sat in his throne as Phoenix sat in hers and as they walked in, they stopped in a line before them.

"King Thorin, Lady Phoenix." Bard bowed to them as the new Princesses of Dale curtsied before them.

"Welcome to Erebor." Thorin told them as Phoenix got to her feet and walked down the steps, pulling each of the Princesses into a hug in turn.

"Welcome to Erebor."Phoenix told the princess before she and Bard shared a hug, before she turned to see Thorin walking towards them and he and Bard clasped hands. "Well, we will leave you two men to talk treaties and laws and whatever, we are going to the training area." She told the men, giving Thorin a soft kiss to the lips, before she lead the princesses down to the training area which was conveniently empty. This was going to be a fun day, but Phoenix could not have been more wrong.

 **Translations**

Ú Phoenix, dartha eno : No Phoenix, stay still

Mîl, nín : my love


	27. Chapter 27

Revenge

Phoenix brought them to the training room just as Tauriel met up with them and the princesses looked around the enormous training arena.

"This is huge." Tilda told them and she was in awe of the whole place.

"I know; it's not as daunting when it's full." Tauriel told them.

"I bet." Sigrid told them and she looked nervous as she looked around.

"Don't worry Sigrid, it's just us." Phoenix told her as she finished setting up some targets for target practice for Tauriel and a ring for sword fighting.

"Right, Tauriel will be shooting some arrows over there, and we will be starting the sword training just for now." Phoenix told them and the princesses nodded, both of them walking to the ring with Phoenix who had shed her waistcoat and weapons belt, handing the Princesses her swords.

"Now, face each other, and get into a stance." Phoenix instructed and she watched them, as they took stances. Tilda's stance was one that Phoenix used, both hands on the hilt of the sword, her feet planted in the floor, her face steeled of emotion, she looked ready for battle. Sigrid's stance was more of a dainty flower; she was shaking and gripping her sword with two limp hands.

"Sigrid, it's only Tilda, she isn't going to hurt you." Phoenix told her.

"I know...I just...I don't like handling a weapon." Sigrid told her, her voice shaking.

"Alright, why don't you go over to Tauriel and see if she will help you to learn how to shoot an arrow?" Phoenix told her. "The bow is not so much as a weapon, but a tool to help with finding food."

Sigrid nodded and she handed Phoenix her sword, before she walked to Tauriel who was happily waiting for her.

When Sigrid was happier with Tauriel, learning the skills of the bow, Phoenix turned her attention to Tilda, changing her height so that she was in her dwarf form and they were roughly the same height.

"Alright Tilda, we are going to start with a few hits and blocks." Phoenix told her. "Just to warm up a bit."

Tilda nodded, watching Phoenix as she started to reach her sword towards her and Tilda blocked it easily. The pair took it in turns to hit out at each other and Tilda was getting the hang of it quite quickly and soon they were moving onto defending and attacking whilst moving around each other. Meanwhile, Sigrid was much slower at getting the hang of learning the skill of archery. However, Tauriel was ever patient, guiding the princess in straightening out her mistakes, but Tauriel noticed something off when she watched how the human drew back an arrow. As she drew the arrow back, her sleeve moved back as well as it showed horrible bruises on her wrists, and then she noticed some more on her lower back and around her waist as she bent down to pick up another arrow.

"We need to stop." Tauriel suddenly informed the group. "The Princess Sigrid is injured."

Phoenix and Tilda looked over and they seemed startled at Tauriel's words, but Phoenix looked over and she walked over with Tilda in tow.

"What happened?" Phoenix asked, checking Sigrid over and finding no bleeding wounds.

"She has bruises." Tauriel explained. "Wrists and lower back and waist."

Phoenix looked at Sigrid intently and Sigrid saw a dim spark in her eyes that threatened to come to flame.

"What happened?" Phoenix asked. "Did someone grab you?"

"By accident, he assumed I was someone else and he apologised straight after." Sigrid told them, her voice shaking as she clutched her wrists, pulling the sleeves of each arm down to hide the bruises.

"Sigrid, you can't lie to save your skin." Phoenix reminded her. "Now I will ask you one last time, what happened?" She asked. "And if you do not tell me; then you will be telling this story to both your father and Thorin."

"Alfred done it." Tilda suddenly piped up.

"Tilda, hush!" Sigrid whispered, trying to stop her sister but it was too late; the spark had gone into a full blown fire in Phoenix's eyes, and they could all see that Phoenix was fighting for calm.

"What do you mean Alfred done it?" Phoenix asked and Tauriel rested a hand on her shoulder to try and calm her.

"I saw him the other day, he gripped her waist and pulled her behind a house, she wanted to scream but a hand was over her moth. I don't know what he would have done if I didn't turn up." Tilda told them and she was scared of what was going to happen, but she knew that she could not lie to Phoenix.

At hearing that, something inside Phoenix snapped and she walked off, straight towards where she left her waist coat and weapons belt, putting them both on as she moved and she was soon out of the training arena. Sigrid, Tilda and Tauriel ended up running to catch up with her and those in the halls moved aside, not wanting to incur the wrath of the hybrid who looked like she was about to blow something up. But they soon realised where they were going – straight to where Thorin and her father were having a meeting. Phoenix did not even wait for an announcement; instead she pushed the doors to the throne room open and found Bard, Thorin, Balin and a range of dwarves stood around the table discussing their plans. At the sound of the doors opening, they all looked over at Phoenix.

"My lady, this is a very inopportune time." Balin told her.

"I think it's time that we call for a break in this meeting my lords." Phoenix told them and at the harsh and cold tone of her voice, Thorin knew something had angered his love, so he told them to go for a break, when they were alone; Bard and Thorin took in the scene before them.

"Dearest, what has you troubled?" Thorin asked her, walking over and taking her hands, thankful for her gloves as he could already feel the heat radiating from her anger.

However, Phoenix was not looking at Thorin, she looked at Bard.

"Did you know?" She asked him.

"Did I know what?" Bard asked.

"Did you know about her bruises?" Phoenix asked, looking from Bard to Sigrid and then back.

"Sigrid, what is she talking about?" Bard demanded, by now Sigrid was crying silent tears.

"Sigrid, you can tell him." Phoenix told her, pushing her anger right down which Thorin admired before she walked over to her goddaughter and pulled her into her as Sigrid told him what she had told Phoenix.

Bard seemed shocked and then suddenly as he looked at them. "I'm going to kill that weasel."

"No." Phoenix told him as she held the crying girl. "He's mine."

Everyone looked at her, and everyone seemed slightly shocked, except for Thorin. Phoenix was a territorial and protective being, her fire needing only the slightest spark to ignite when one of those that she marks as hers, is threatened. Thorin was going to enjoy watching everyone try and talk her down from this one.

And that was what Bard was going to do...At least he was going to attempt to and Thorin wondered whether the new King even knew what he was doing when he challenged Phoenix on this.

"Phoenix, I am the King of Dale, I need to deal with my subjects my way." Bard told her.

"And you will." Phoenix told him, checking her swords as she did so. "But he's mine first."

"Phoenix, as King I cannot allow this." Bard told him.

Phoenix looked up at the man and Bard took a step back, seeing something in Phoenix which instilled fear in him. "You can hang the bastard for all I care, but I'm going to show him why he does not touch something that is mine." She told him. "I promised her mother that I would take care of her, I have failed, so I am merely fixing that debt."

Everyone looked at Phoenix before Bard withdrew his statement and Phoenix left, going to the stables once she had put her swords in their holsters and left them on the table. Everyone found this odd and they followed her to the stables, grabbing Dwalin on the way, getting on their horses and ponies as Phoenix took off to Dale. They got to Dale just in time to see Phoenix dismount and she demanded to know where Alfred was. The crowd that had gathered suddenly parted and Alfred walked towards her, as cocky as ever.

"What do you want outcast?" He demanded, but his bravado disappeared like the sun on a rainy day when he saw the anger and hatred in Phoenix's eyes.

"You dare to come here all cocky after hurting my charge!" Phoenix demanded, her anger rising. "You dare to lay a hand on her like she is yours!"

Alfred looked at her and he was scared, so much so that he was shaking, before he felt a slight rise in bravery. "What, you're here about that whore?"

That suddenly made Phoenix snap and her entire persona changed, becoming something dark and almost demonic as her voice turned cold and sharp. "I'm going to give you until the count of five and if you're still in front of me, I will kill you."

This time, Alfred ran, pushing through people as he ran and true to her word, she gave him until the count of five, and she suddenly shot after him. The crowd watched Phoenix chase down the man, almost like an animal with its prey and soon she found him, yet she went in opposite directions to him, ensuring that he saw her and it obviously gave him a false sense of security.

Suddenly Alfred was running towards the exit of the city when something collided with him and as he tried to pick himself up off the ground, he saw Phoenix flipping herself back to her feet. When she rounded on him, she had him pinned to the wall by his neck, her grip tight her eyes glowing with fire. She looked like a demon.

"Demon!" He choked out, as Phoenix's grip went tighter.

"You think I'm a demon?" She snarled. "You haven't seen anything yet." She told him as she threw him to the floor. This time she let him get to his feet and he tried to throw punches at her to get her away from him, but no punches met their target. In fact, Phoenix ended up blocking one of his hands so hard that there was a crunch from Alfred's arm and he backed off to hold his arm, before Phoenix punched him clear in the face and he fell to the floor. When he was on the floor, Phoenix leant over him, nearly punching the life out of him. However, she only stopped when he was bloody and strong arms lifted her up and out of the way, changing her to her dwarf size as they did so.

"Let him go, you've made your point." Dwalin told her as he held her tightly as Thorin stood before her.

"Amralimé, look at me." He told her and he waited for Phoenix's fire red eyes to focus on his. "You've made him pay, now let Bard take over."

Phoenix looked at him. "Alright." She told him, her eyes going back to their normal sapphire blue.

When Dwalin put her down on her feet, Phoenix watched as they took Alfred away and then Thorin took her hand and almost dragged her back towards the horses. She headed back towards Erebor on Carnahan's back with Thorin riding his pony beside her and Dwalin and Tauriel following on behind. Thorin took Phoenix straight up to their room as Tauriel promised to bring them some food when it was dinner. Thorin watched Phoenix as she sat herself on the bed and she put her head in her hands, he could see the fury rolling off her body in waves of heat which then spread through the room, heating Thorin's body temperature higher and higher with each wave.

Soon the heat got intense and Thorin found himself taking off his over coats until he was down to his thin black shirt. Watching her, he found that it might have been best to distract her now, so he walked over and pulled off his loose undershirt before he got onto the bed behind her and he kissed against the skin of her neck that was exposed by how she was sat. When this did not seem to have much of an effect, he started to gently rub her shoulders, and this had more of an effect as Phoenix lent back into him.

"Watching you today was amazing..." He whispered to her ear, making sure that his lips brushed against the sensitive elvish tip of her ear.

"Was it now?" She asked quietly.

"Very..." He whispered. "I've never seen you hold so much power...It was a turn on to say the least..."

Phoenix leant her head against his shoulder and she reached a hand back against him and she felt just how much of a turn on it was for him and heard his sharp intake of breath.

"Hmm, I can see that." She whispered, before she turned around to look at him. "Are you trying to distract me or are you trying for something else?" She asked him.

"Both works fine with me." He told her, suddenly encompassing her small waist with his hands and he lifted her back onto the bed, so she was lying on her back with him over her.

Phoenix looked up at him, her eyes showing her love and respect for him as she watched him undo the buttons of her waistcoat and the ties of her white shirt, before he allowed her to sit up so that he could help her to remove them and then he removed her corset as he lavished the top part of her body with kisses, smiling as the soft noises of content left his lover's lips.

However, before he could provide more passion to his lover, they both broke apart at hearing the knocks of someone on the other side of the door. Thorin allowed for Phoenix to go behind their changing screen as he himself threw on his undershirt, and he walked to the door, pulling it open to find a maid on the other side holding a tray of food.

"Forgive me for the interruption my lord, but the Lady Tauriel sent me with this." She told the king after a curtsey, still carrying the tray. "She said that you and the Lady Phoenix might be hungry."

Thorin looked at her and then the tray and then back to her face and he nodded. "Thank you, she was most right, the Lady Phoenix is famished after an extensive use of her control over her powers, thank you for bringing it to us, feel free to place it on the table by the fireplace." He told her, allowing her some room to walk into the room, before he walked to the screen where Phoenix was. "My love, Tauriel has sent food; it appears that she thinks that I will allow you to starve." He told her playfully.

"She is a caring elf." Phoenix told him. "And I am hungry, I'll be out in a second, I'm just finishing changing."

"Alright my love." He told her and he found the maid to still be stood there, fanning herself with the heat that still remained from Phoenix earlier. "Was there something else?" He asked her and she looked nervous.

"My lord, a letter came whilst you were in Dale, it is from Rivendell." She pulled a letter from her dress pockets and handed it to him, the letter was already open.

"It is open." Thorin observed.

"Yes my lord, the Lady Dis requested that she open it instead...I could not stop her, my lord." The maid looked distraught that the Princess had been able to open the letter even though it was entitled to Phoenix and Thorin.

"I will have words with my sister about this, but you will not take the brunt of them." Thorin promised the young dwarf maid. "Please, go about your duties and have no fear from me."

The maid curtsied again and she left the room, the minute the door shut, Phoenix had the letter from his hands and she was lying on her stomach on the bed reading it.

"What news does Rivendell send?" He asked.

"Ada is coming here." Phoenix told him. "He wishes to see us both, wanting to discuss courting business." Phoenix continued as she read.

"Is that good or bad?" Thorin asked.

"It is good, you already know that Arwen has accepted you, after all, she gave you your new cloak, but Ada and my brothers have yet to give you their acceptance gifts." Phoenix told them.

"And I still have to give them gifts." Thorin remembered. "I will need time to plan, forge and ensure that the gifts are wrapped." He told her, suddenly worried.

"They do not expect such gifts." She told them.

"But I expect to give them such gifts." He told her. "You will need to help me, I know very little about your father and sister and even less about your brothers." He confessed.

"Don't worry, I will help you, after all, you have two months." She told him. "But for now, let us eat." She told him as she sat at the table by the fireplace where the food had been placed and she watched him sit opposite her. When they were sat together, they ate the food given to them, only lit by the light of the fireplace. This gave the room more of a romantic ambience as they looked up across the table at each other, and only now did Thorin notice that Phoenix had changed into a slip that she normally wore to bed and it made him grow hot under the collar as some say. He could not keep his eyes off the way her slip clung to her body, enhancing her toned figure, which he was sure that she would still have without the hours and hours of training she did. He was so absorbed in her body that he did not notice the look she had in her own eyes as she observed his body. The undershirt he wore was open at the top, showing some of his dark chest hair and she almost licked her lips in anticipation, then her eyes moved down to the shadows of his abs, brought on by his numerous amounts of training as a young dwarf, which stood out from the fabric, to his strong arms that could carry her without hindrance, to the large hands that swallowed her own when they took them in their grip, and her mind moved to the things that he had done with those large hands of his to her and what they could possible do and this time she did lick her lips in anticipation as her thoughts ignited her core.

Phoenix watched as Thorin sat back in his chair and he admired as much of her as he could, before Phoenix suddenly had an idea.

"My love, may I ask you something?" Phoenix asked.

"Of course." He told her. "What is on your mind?"

"I was wondering...And it might be quite silly...But how rough do you want to be during our love making?" She asked.

Thorin watched her, and he was watching her carefully, this was the last thing that he had ever expected her to say. Do not get him wrong, he had thought about being rough with her, but he was scared to break her.

"Phoenix, what I want to do to you would not be love making." He warned her. "It would be more like fucking." He warned her.

Phoenix looked at him and she had a small glint of mischief in her eyes. "Do you want to show me?" She asked.

Thorin let his mouth hang open, where had all this came from? Did that amount of anger in Dale push her over an invisible edge?

"Don't look so shocked." She told him, looking at him and she got up and walked over to him, holding a hand out to him. "I'm being serious; I want you to show me."

Thorin looked at her and he suddenly caved, pulling her close to him as he got to his feet and he kissed her roughly, the kiss was mostly if not all teeth. Phoenix only just started to react to the kiss before Thorin almost threw her onto the bed like she was nothing. She sat up slightly to look at him, her breathing turning into soft pants of both excitement and anticipation as she watched him stalk towards her, his gaze and movements primal as he leaned his body over hers, he took her slip in his hands and he suddenly tore it straight down the front. Phoenix looked up at him and she let her eyes meet his, before his lips were on hers again, in another rough and primal kiss. Her hands wound themselves into his hair as her legs wrapped around his waist and Thorin realised what she was going to do, before he grabbed her hands and pinned them roughly above her head.

"I'm not going to be gentle with you." He warned her as he bit and sucked at her neck.

"I know." She told him, gasping in pleasure at each bite and suck. "I don't want you to be."

"Good." He told her, and he undone her legs from around his waist and turned her onto her stomach. "Tell me if you want me to stop and I will." He told her.

"I will." She told him.

Thorin nodded and he undressed before he picked up the belt that he wore with his pants and he tied her hands to the headboard, before he simply tore the remains of her slip from her body. When she was fully naked, he traced his hands down her back, making her arch her back into his hands.

"So soft..." He whispered, his lips following the trail that his hand had made on her back with his lips. "I can't wait until I mark you." He smiled as he felt her shiver at his words.

"Then stop taking your time." She told him, her voice shaking.

At her words, he slapped her backside, causing her to yelp, and he suddenly moved a hand to her most intimate area and he heard the moan coming from her as her body moved closer to his hand.

"Oh gods..." She moaned.

"Do you like that, my love?" He asked after he leaned over closer to her ear, before he kissed the tip of her ear, causing another shiver from her.

"Yes..." She told him in another moan. "Please give me more." She whimpered.

"Only when I decide." He told her, biting into her shoulder, carrying on his movement as his fingers found her clit and the pleasure of his fingers mixed with the bite to her shoulder took Phoenix to the very edge and she moaned pushing against his hand.

"Please Thorin, make me come." She groaned, burying her head into the pillow closest to her.

Thorin pressed kisses against her skin, moving his hand faster against her clit, giving her the friction that she needed and this pushed Phoenix straight over the edge into a shattering orgasm, causing her to scream Thorin's name into the pillow. As she came down from her high, Thorin peppered kisses to her back and neck before he moved to whisper into her ear.

"We aren't finished yet." He whispered to her. "In fact, I'm just getting started." Phoenix felt herself shiver in anticipation, before Thorin continued. "I'm not going to be gentle." He warned her. "It might be fun for you." He told her. "Taking you this way is for my pleasure and mine alone."

"Thorin, it's okay." She whispered. "I understand."

Thorin nodded and he looked down at her, before he gave himself a few strokes to ensure that he stayed hard, before he used her release that he took from her entrance to prepare her back entrance, looking for any signs that this was uncomfortable for her. When she gave him none, he guided his member to her back entrance and without waiting for her to be fully okay with it; he pushed himself inside her, ignoring her soft gasp of pain and discomfort. Soon, she was moaning in pleasure as he pushed in and out of her, and he pushed the top part of her body down onto the bed. He was not gentle with her at all, his grip on her tight enough to bruise; the only sounds were the slapping of skin on skin, the moans and growls of pleasure that could only come from two of them. By the time Thorin was near his end, his lover was on her fourth orgasm and completely spent, as he neared that thin edge where he was sure that he would be thrown over any minute, he leaned over and bit in her shoulder, the bite not only triggering another orgasm for her, but also pushing him straight over the edge as he emptied inside her. When they were both spent, Thorin pulled out of her, and he moved to lie besides her, undoing the belt on her wrists and he pulled her wrists to his mouth, kissing each of them where the bruises had started to show.

"Sleep my love." He told her.

Phoenix nodded and soon found that she was falling into sleep, as Thorin wrapped his arms around her as too succumbed to sleep.


	28. Chapter 28

Return of the King

He awoke to the sound of a raven sitting on the window ledge, and he shushed it with a hiss, before he froze. Then he noticed something else, he was naked! As naked as a newborn dwarfling and he was not the only one. In bed, still fast asleep, was Phoenix, and that was when realisation suddenly hit him. Last night had actually happened; he had thought to himself that it had been a dream. He closed his eyes as he remembered the touch of her skin, the feel of her lips moulding to his own, of how her touch made him feel like a fire was coursing through his veins, the shivers that flew from his heart as she whispered her love for him. He remembered his own touch on her, he was not gentle with anything but last night he somehow never hurt her, yet if he slipped up once she did not seem to mind, she enjoyed his ability to love her, in his own way. He remembered how he had once again thrown away all abandon to remain chaste until they were married, or at least engaged, but he did not think anything of taking her to bed and having his way with her. And now here she was, fast asleep from a night of love and lust, and he did not think that anything could tarnish that memory. However, he soon found soft blue bruises appearing on her skin, which he gently traced his fingers against. At his touch, he suddenly grew tense as he felt the woman stir from her slumber beside him and he opened her eyes to find her looking at him.

"Good morning." She whispered, gently sliding her fingers into his.

"Good morning, Amrâlimê." He whispered, leaning down to kiss her still slightly bruised lips, smiling to himself when she kissed him back in return.

"We are going to be in so much trouble." She told him as their kiss ended.

"Do you regret it?" He asked her, gently moving a hand down the left side of her face.

"No...Do you?" She asked, and Thorin saw the look of worry that she had when she asked.

"No." He told her. "I could never regret this." He told her, kissing her forehead, causing her to smile, before she moved to sit up and she found a raven staring at them, its amber eyes almost judging the pair of them for their act.

"Good morning." She told the raven that did not stop staring at them as Thorin sat up to look at it. "How long has it been watching us?" She asked.

Thorin just shrugged. "Probably not long." He told her as she got out of the bed. Thorin watched as she slid a robe on and walked over to the window and he was thankful to himself that he had thought to make her and Tauriel rooms with windows, the morning sun made her simply glow.

Meanwhile, in Tauriel's room, Tauriel was stood upon a balcony that overlooked a stone courtyard inside Erebor. She had been stood there all night, watching the stars, that were only just visible through a gap in the top of the mountain, and only as the sun rose did her gaze move to the courtyard below. Right now, she was watching Kili and Fili as they sparred with each other in the courtyard; they had come home in the middle of the night since their deal was to travel with the Hobbit and wizard to the borders of Mirkwood where Legolas would take over. They had been there for around an hour now and neither had noticed her, not that she had minded, she was glad that Kili was having fun. But after a few minutes, the brother's stopped sparring and Fili pointed up to his brother, who looked around and then looked up and he had the biggest smile on his face when he saw her that Tauriel could not help her own smile from appearing on her lips. She saw him leave his brother and suddenly run inside, she could only guess that he was coming up to see her and when she heard her door open, she knew that she was right. However as quickly as it shut, she felt his arms around her waist and she felt his head against her back.

"Why didn't you come and join us?" He asked.

"I am waiting for Phoenix; we are to go down to Dale to visit Bard with invitations." She told him, keeping her eyes on the courtyard.

"Why?" He asked.

"Thorin asked me to accompany her last night; the invitations are for a party that your Uncle is throwing, I don't know anything else." She told him.

"Well, I don't think Phoenix will be joining you just yet." He told her.

"Why?" She asked.

"A guard told us that the saw my Uncle go into her room last night after she had tried to kill that weasel Alfred, and he didn't come back out."Kili told her with a smirk, and he watched as Tauriel suddenly spun around to face him.

"How could she take him to her bed, Phoenix isn't supposed to even have romantic notions towards anybody..." She started to pace as she spoke, though it was mainly to herself.

"My love, Phoenix can do as she likes, just as you can." Kili told her.

He watched as Tauriel continued to pace around the room and she did not stop even when there was a knock on the door and as she continued pacing, he went to answer it and found his brother on the other side.

"Ah Fili, care to join us, I was just telling my lady how our Uncle does not have seemed to have left Phoenix's chambers since he entered them last night." Kili told him and it caused Tauriel to stop.

"Kili, why must you assume such things," Fili told him. "Uncle joined our mother and Dain in the halls just now; I've come for Tauriel on behalf of Phoenix as she was getting ready to ride out."

"I'm coming Fili." Tauriel called through and she walked to them, attaching her bow and arrows to her back and her swords to her waist.

"Where are you going with them?" Kili asked, nodding to her weapons.

"I'm going to see if Phoenix would like to do a spot of hunting as well, once our visit to Dale is over." She told him as they walked down to the stables.

"Can't we come?" Kili asked.

"No, this is a job only tasked to Phoenix and I, and anyway you are meant to be spending time with your mother." She told them.

Kili sighed, since his mother had learnt of Kili's relationship with Tauriel and Thorin's relationship with Phoenix, she has been less than impressed, in fact his mother was trying to bring both of the couples apart and last night, if Thorin had not gone to Phoenix, Kili feared that his mother and Dain would have succeeded. He would have to go and speak to Thorin before his mother and Uncle had the chance to drive another wedge between them, but that meant that he could not go with Tauriel as he wanted.

"Kili, are you still there?" Fili asked.

He suddenly awoke from his thoughts to find his brother and Tauriel staring at him, before he snapped back out of it and he looked at them.

"Forgive me, I was thinking." Kili told them.

"Well don't think too hard." Fili told them playfully, before they continued walking down towards the stables where they found Thorin, Phoenix and Uldoniair stood beside Carnahan and Tauriel's horse. And they watched as Thorin handed Phoenix a pair of black leather gloves, laced with ornate silver thread.

As they approached, the two seemed lost in looks of both love and lust as Thorin fastened the button upon Phoenix's gloves when she had put them on.

"Get a room you two." Kili told them as he walked in, holding hands with Tauriel.

Whilst his comment made Phoenix gain a soft blush to her cheeks, Thorin smiled up at her and he brushed some hair behind a pointed ear, causing her to shiver and he pressed a kiss to her lips.

"Ride safe and come home soon." He told her.

"I will, and Tauriel and I will bring back a buck for the dinner tonight." She told him and she sealed the promise with her own kiss, that Thorin deepened almost immediately, one of her hands moving to wind in his hair.

"Oh really!" Fili groaned and they pulled away from their kiss to find that Kili had found some form of box and he had stood on it in order to kiss Tauriel's lips, since she did not have the option of changing her height as easily as Phoenix did, and the two seemed to be locked in a loving embrace as their lips locked in a sensual one.

"Is that jealousy I hear, dear nephew?" Thorin asked as he helped Phoenix mount Carnahan's saddle.

"Of course not...Okay, maybe a little." He shrugged. "But no matter, I will be with someone soon enough."

"That you will, son."

Everyone turned to see Dis stood in the doorway of the stables and she was watching the group with distaste, especially Kili and Tauriel who were lost in the world with their kiss.

"Kili!" Dis screamed, scaring the dwarf just enough for him to fall from the box he was stood on but luckily Tauriel's grip was tight enough to stop him falling completely and she pulled him against her body.

"Nice catch Tauriel." Phoenix told her causing the elf maiden to blush and she let go of Fili so that he could get down.

"Elf whore." Dis muttered, though no one but Fili heard and he gave her a hard look as if to warn her, but his mother ignored it. "Thorin, I wish to speak with you."

"In a moment sister, let me see Phoenix and Tauriel off and then we may talk." Thorin told her, ignoring the look of distaste that his sister gave him as he kissed Phoenix's hand, as he stood shamelessly on a box in order to reach properly.

"Na ata rato." Thorin told her in elvish, showing that he had been learning fast from Phoenix, and it caused her to smile.

"Umme kaure ten lyaa melisse heru nauka entulesse rato." Tauriel told him, before Phoenix could get her own words out, and Thorin looked over at her with a smile to show that he had understood.

"Safe journey my love." Kili told her as she climbed onto her horse.

"I shall my love." Tauriel told him with a smile as she readied herself in her saddle and she looked back at Phoenix.

"Mother, you might want to move." Fili told her.

Dis moved out of the way just as Phoenix and Tauriel both kicked their horse's sides and the two shot off, riding fast out of the stables and down towards Dale.

When they were gone, Kili saw his chance and grabbed Thorin's arm just as he was about to leave and join his sister

"Uncle, may I have a quick word?" Kili asked.

"Of course nephew." Thorin told him, and Kili praised whatever ability Phoenix had to keep away the dragon sickness that had plagued Thorin so viciously before the battle.

"Uncle, it's about your and Phoenix's relationship." Kili told him.

"What about it?" He asked.

"I just wish to ask whether you intend to give her a courtship braid or a marriage braid, because you two seem to be sharing each other's bed now." Kili told him. "And also ask whether you would consider giving me a courtship bead in order to braid Tauriel's hair.

Thorin seemed taken aback, he did not think anyone had noticed, but if Kili had noticed that he had been visiting Phoenix's chambers, which else had? Yet his nephews question raised some questions in himself, when would he get round to putting the courtship bead into Phoenix's hair? And then pride took over when he realised that Kili was also ready to make his courtship known to the world and he was asking him for a courtship bead for his own beloved. His young nephew was a man now and that made him proud.

"Kili, I will put a courtship braid into Phoenix's hair later and everyone will know of our courting at the dinner tonight." He told him, deliberately avoiding the topic of marriage for now as he continued. "But you do not need to thank me for your lover's courtship bead, just ask when you are ready for the wedding bead." He told his youngest nephew.

Kili nodded. "Thank you Uncle." He watched his uncle walk away. "Uncle, be wary of my mother and Lord Dain, they wish to ruin yours and Phoenix's relationship."

"I know dear nephew, and believe me, they won't get the chance to." Thorin told them. "Just be careful for yourself and your elf." Thorin told him as he walked away to join his sister and the two walked away from the stables, Kili had no idea what they were talking about, but judging from how furious his mother looked, Kili knew that their topic certainly was not a joyous one.

Meanwhile, Tauriel and Phoenix rode like the wind as they made their way to Dale, and they were both smiling, feeling the wind flowing through their hair, the coldness on their skin was a welcome attention. As they rode, Tauriel could not help looking back every so often at Phoenix, she marvelled in how the half breed enjoyed the sun and ride with her eyes closed, she marvelled how she did not look like either an elf nor a dwarf, she just looked...normal. But how normal was a completely different question.

"Kalainis yello nilde?" Tauriel asked as she pulled her horse to ride beside Phoenix, who simply nodded her response silently.

"Er lavyetille an yello nilde mii entulesse." Phoenix told her and it caused Tauriel to smile.

"I would like that very much." Tauriel told her as they entered Dale. As they slowed their horses to a walk, the townsfolk bowed to them and they bowed their heads in return. Yet they did not stop until they reached a house and Bard walked out, followed by his son – Bain.

"Lady Phoenix, Lady Tauriel, what do we owe this pleasure?" Bard asked as he helped Phoenix from her saddle and Bain helped Tauriel.

"We came to deliver an invitation to yourself and your family." Phoenix told them as they were led inside the house where they found Sigrid and Tilda making bread in the kitchen.

"Sigrid, Tilda, the lady Phoenix and Lady Tauriel are here." Bard told them and the two dusted flour from their skirts and hands and they curtsied to the two women.

"It is good to see you." Phoenix told them and her hugged Tilda when she ran over and hugged her.

"It is good to see that you are well, da' said that you would be fine." Tilda told her.

Phoenix smiled. "See, you should believe your father more often." She told her. "What are you making?" She asked.

"It's just some bread, lady Phoenix." Sigrid told her, and everyone watched as Phoenix joined her side.

"Oh lady Phoenix, will you please do the magic?" Tilda asked.

"Aye, my lady, please?" Bard asked.

Phoenix looked up at them, before she ran her hand over the bread that was ready to be baked and they watched her hand glow red hot, before the bread started to cook where it stood on the table and by the time Phoenix moved her hand, there were two fresh loaves of hot bread.

Tauriel watched as the children rejoiced and as they were asked to join them, she politely declined whilst Phoenix handed Bard the invitations that had come from Thorin for the new royal family of Dale.

"Alas, I believe that we must go young one, we still need to hunt a stag big enough for the dinner this evening." Tauriel told her. "But we will come by for fresh bread one day."

"I hope so; it would be nice to know more about elves." Sigrid smiled, before she started to cut up the bread that she and Tilda had made. And as she cut, she looked up to watch the two elvish women leave with Bard. When they returned to their horses, Bard watched them leave and soon the two women were off, riding as fast as the wind could carry them. They got into the forest moments after leaving Dale and they both jumped off of their horses saddles, and they tied them up where it was deemed safe, grabbing their long bows and arrows from the saddles, they ventured into the forest. They walked in silence until Tauriel grabbed Phoenix's arm and nodded ahead of them where they found a large stag grazing.

"You or me?" Phoenix whispered.

"Together, he's too big for one arrow." Tauriel told her as she readied an arrow and she watched Phoenix do the same.

Together they moved in sync, placing the arrow, drawing back the string as they took aim, and both of their arrows struck the stag and brought it down. When it was fully dead, Tauriel said an elvish prayer, before Phoenix picked it up and started to carry the buck on her shoulders back towards the horses. Tauriel did not complain; she knew that Phoenix would have done this numerous times in her life on her own, but it made her uneasy that she would have to, after all when she and Legolass went hunting, he would carry the kill, and it just seemed like a man's thing to do. Therefore, to see someone of a female stature doing a man's job, it struck Tauriel as quite odd, but this time she did not voice it, for not wanting to cause her new friend distress. When they got back to the horses, Phoenix still kept hold of the kill as Tauriel untied Carnahan and climbed into her saddle and the two headed back towards Erebor, with Carnahan following.

"Do you not wish to rest?" Tauriel asked as they had made almost half of the journey back to Dale without Phoenix dropping the kill or faltering at all for that chance.

"No it's fine, believe me I've carried much heavier kill for longer than this." Phoenix told her as she continued walking.

Suddenly they both stopped as they heard howling from behind them, it was loud and shrill, not from any common wolf.

"What was that?" Tauriel asked and Phoenix turned around just in time to see an orc pack running at them.

"Tauriel, go back, get help." Phoenix told her and against her better judgement, Tauriel complied and she urged her horse on. As Tauriel left, Phoenix dropped the kill and she pulled out her swords.

"May Mahal have mercy?" She whispered to herself as she started to cut down warg after warg and block many orc attacks that occurred, hoping that someone would be able to come to her aid soon.

Meanwhile, back at Erebor, Thorin was patrolling his palace after getting away from his sister and his cousin. They were both still trying to make him see that he and Phoenix did not belong together, but now he was even more adamant. As he walked across the balcony that overlooked the walkway to the gates of Erebor and Dale, he took a few minutes to stop and look out over the area, and what he saw made him freeze. Coming through the land was a single rider, red hair flailing around in the wind, it was Tauriel, but if Tauriel was here, where was Phoenix? Panic set in as Tauriel stopped her horse on the walkway, letting it pat his hooves to get the attention.

"Tauriel, where is Phoenix?!" Thorin called down.

"We were attacked by Orcs, she told me to get help!" She shouted back as the gates opened and Thorin ran down, grabbing his sword and he ran to his ram. A pony would be no use right now, and he joined Tauriel on his ram as Fili and Kili ran to them followed by Dwalin, Bofur, and a few of Dain's men.

"Orc attack, arm yourselves!" Thorin told them and suddenly every one of his dwarves came out on rams, ponies and wearing armour and weapons, and Tauriel led them back to where Phoenix had been, but by the time that they got there, they found Phoenix fighting alongside another dwarf. This dwarf was older, much older, but he fought like a young man, but they obviously needed help, so Thorin charged in with his men and Tauriel, all of them fighting.

The fight was short and when it was over, Thorin came to find Phoenix who was picking up her swords from the ground and cleaning them on leaves that had been blown close by the wind.

"Phoenix, are you alright?" He asked.

"Yes." She told him, keeping her back to him.

"Then why will you not look at me?" He asked, and he kneeled in front of her, and he saw why, there was blood dripping onto her arm and lap. "Phoenix, you're wounded."

"It's not that bad." She told him, looking up at him and he found a large open wound across one of her cheeks.

"What done this?" He asked, looking for his healer. "Oin, come here, quickly!" Thorin called over.

"Thorin, it's fine, I can heal it, don't worry your men." Phoenix told him, but Thorin would have none of it, he kept her sat down with a firm hand on her shoulder, and he watched Oin check the wound before he held it closed as Phoenix used her ability of fire to cauterise the wound and keep it closed.

"There lass, you shouldn't have much of a scar." Oin told her.

"Thank you Oin." She smiled and as he walked away Thorin allowed her stand and she slid her hand into the one of his that he offered to her and she pulled herself to her feet and she found Kili and Tauriel sitting in the grass together, as the others gathered around Phoenix and Tauriel's kill.

"Is this for all of us?" Dwalin asked.

"Aye, it was the biggest we could find." Phoenix told him.

"We can get another one if that one does not suffice." Tauriel told him when she saw a look on his face that she had never seen before.

"Nah lass, this will be fine." He told her as he picked it up in his arms and set about carrying it back to Erebor.

"And you won't be going out for a while." Thorin told Phoenix. "Not until I am sure that there are no problems from this." He gestured to the fast healing and disappearing cut on her face.

"Thorin..."

"No buts, I need you to be fully healed in order for this gathering that is being prepared for." He told her.

"Want me to not show you up you mean." She muttered though Thorin still heard and he went silent as they walked back to his ram and Thorin hoisted her up onto the saddle as he walked along side it, holding the reigns as Phoenix held onto the saddle and she looked back at Tauriel and found that Kili had done the same to her.

They stayed a little behind their entourage, and when they reached the stables, Thorin helped her down much to Phoenix's dismay.

"Is that really what you think?" He asked her and everyone stopped to look at them.

"Yes." She told him.

"What have I done to cause you such offence?" He asked her. "It is not only your looks that I care for."

"Do you not think that I hear the whispers?" She asked him, oblivious to the crowd that had gathered to hear the first argument of Thorin and his hybrid lover.

"The whispers should not matter to you." He told her.

"Well they do, they always have." She told him. "I have a soul of stone but not a heart of stone." She reminded him. "I've dealt with the whispers of my own kin against me, felt the strike of each cruel phrase or word like it was the lashing from a whip." She told him. "You pamper me like I some spoilt princess, who cannot afford to get her hands dirty."

"I did not realise that I had caused you such offence Phoenix." Thorin told her. "I wish to love you, but you will not allow yourself to be loved."

"And you wonder why? They call my mother the 'Fair Whore' Thorin, they call me the 'Whore's Bastard'." She told him. "Forgive me if I am not feeling loved right now."

"I spend my day making sure that no one treats you ill." He told her. "Melinyel, nalyë nín bereth, nín hûn, i mÎl o nín cuil ta i nár vi nín fae." He told her and he walked over to her, falling to his knees in front of her.

Everyone watched in awe as their king was on both of his knees in front of the fire ranger of the north and Fili and Kili could see how serious he was as he looked at Phoenix, taking his hands in hers.

"What has made you doubt me?" He asked, well more like pleaded with her for her answer and he looked up at her to see the tears in her eyes and Phoenix fell to her knees in front of him.

"Díheno enni nín aran." She whispered, her eyes closed and her head bowed to try and stop the tears that spilled down her cheeks, but Thorin forced her to look at him. He knew it was hard for her, he had seen her upset at the comments and he knew it wasn't fair to her that she had to endure it and he frequently gave silent praise that she could wear an emotionless mask so well. He would protect her endlessly no matter what, but he needed his people to remain here until his reign was certain. But right now that could wait, his love needed his support now, and he silently praised Elrond for telling him about these occasions where Phoenix would become weak and let her full emotions be shown. He vaguely heard his nephews and Tauriel ushering all of the other dwarves away and out of the stables so that she had no audience, and instead he held her to him, his arms around her protectively, not intending to let her go any time soon.

Thorin and Phoenix eventually left the stables as night fell and Thorin walked Phoenix up to her room for her to change out of her clothes and into something that wasn't covered in blood, and he waited whilst she went behind her changing screen. When she came back out, he found her wearing a red tunic, embodied with silver thread and she was also wearing her usual black leather pants, her hair was down with her own braids in.

"Thorin, I didn't think you would have stayed." She told him as she saw him.

"I know I wanted to ask something of you." He told her.

"Like what?" She asked.

"May I put a braid in your hair?" He asked.

She looked at him, touching her own braids. "Do you not like my braids?"

"No, I love them, but you see...With dwarves...Well we allow our loved ones to put braids in our hair as a sign of courtship." He told her. "And I wanted to show everyone that you were mine." He told her.

Phoenix looked at him and she sat on the edge of her bed, holding out her hairbrush to him.

"If you're sure that it would be a good idea, I will let you put one in, and if you need to take out my braids then please do."

Thorin smiled and he sat on the bed behind her, and he undone all of her braids and he smiled to himself at how soft her hair felt in his fingers and how weightless it was. He took her hairbrush from her and he ran it through her hair, and when her hair was ready, he started to entwine a braid into it, pulling the courtship bead from his pocket and when the braid was finished, he fastened it with the bead, just as the door flew open and Dis stood there.

"Dis, if you're going to say something negative, then please leave." Thorin told her.

"No, but you have to come and see this, that person who was helping her, Thorin you won't believe who it is." Dis told him and the pair got up and followed the dwarrowdam down to join the dwarves in the great hall. Upon entering the large hall, Phoenix stood beside Tauriel watching the entire number of dwarves that now resided in Erebor gather around the dwarf who had helped her.

"What is going on here?" Thorin asked, and the group parted as Balin walked to him.

"Thorin, take caution, this might come as quite a shock." He told him as Thorin pushed on to see the person and when they turned around, he was surprised to see who it really was – his father, Thrain.

 **Translations**

Na ata rato : Be back soon.

Umme kaure ten lyaa melisse entulesse rato : Do not fear for your lover, master dwarf, she shall return soon

Kalainis yello nilde : May I call you my friend?

Er lavyetille an yello nilde mii entulesse : Only if I can call you my friend in return

Melinyel, nalyë nín bereth, nín hûn, i mÎl o nín cuil ta i nár vi nín fae : I love you, you are my queen, my heart, the love of my life and the fire in my soul

Díheno enni nín aran : Forgive me my king


	29. Chapter 29

Answers

Thorin was almost frozen as Thrain turned to look at him and Phoenix could definitely see the resemblance between father and son.

"Thorin..." Thrain spoke, his voice soft, almost like he did not believe that his son was stood right in front of him.

"Father..." Thorin spoke, just as soft and almost as a whisper, before he looked back at Phoenix, hoping for some sort of explanation from her.

Phoenix looked at him and she held a small smile on her face. "I told you that I would find him and bring him to Erebor just as a year passed."

Thorin nodded, before he turned back to look at his father, just as a grey wolf ran past and he heard Phoenix laugh and he turned back to her just in time to see her fall to her knees and hug the wolf around the neck as the wolf tried to nuzzle her anywhere that she could.

"Alacarna nin draug, amin vista ta amin innas ui ea ogra estel tye nin diant sadron." Phoenix praised the wolf, before she stood back up to her Elvish height.

"Ah Lady Phoenix." Thrain spoke and everyone looked over at Phoenix as she looked at Thrain.

"Thrain, my dear friend, it is good to see you well." She told him and everyone watched as she walked over and the two shared a hug, Thrain pressing his forehead to Phoenix's when she turned to dwarf height.

"I have missed you nin meldis." Thrain spoke.

"Gerin ú aw ithog beth o tye meldir, anen essë na gumri an tye." Phoenix told him. "Inyë nauth han tye aw thaihaew ad."

"Baw gumri an nin, tye gar bain nín nossë ye nin di anann cuil." Thrain told her, but before Phoenix could say anything, there was a loud voice over taking them.

"Do you mind speaking so that we can all hear you?" Dain shouted as he bounded over.

"Actually, I would like to spend some time with my son showing me around his kingdom." Thrain told them and Thorin was all too happy to oblige.

"Maybe in the morning, right now it's late and we are all starving." Dain told them and Thrain agreed, before he sat at the table on Thorin's right hand side as Phoenix sat on his left.

Throughout the dinner, everyone talked with each other, Thrain mainly conversing with his son and daughter, before as the dishes were cleared away for dessert, he noticed the courtship bead in Phoenix's hair.

"Aye lass, whose bead is that," Thrain asked.

Phoenix looked up at him, her whole body still, yet she realised that no one else seemed to have heard, and she glanced over at Thorin.

"The bead is mine father." Thorin told him.

Thrain looked at Phoenix, before he stood from his seat and walked around the table to her, watching as Phoenix sat bolt upright in her seat as he got closer. When he was close enough, he gently touched the bead and then the braid itself.

"It's fine craftsmanship." He praised, looking at his son. "Well done Thorin."

Thorin nodded. "Thank you, father."

"Thrain, aren't you going to scold him?"

The question came from Dain and everyone stopped to look over the Lord of the Ironhills and then at Thrain, Thorin and Phoenix.

"Why would I do that?" Thrain asked.

"Because he is wasting his kingdom on a whore's daughter," Dain told him. "And your grandson is wasting his life with another elf whore as well."

Thrain looked from an angry Thorin, a murderous Kili, a shamed Tauriel and a nervous Phoenix before he looked back at Dain.

"You Dain will shut your mouth." Thrain told him and everyone looked at him in surprise.

Whilst everyone seemed shock at Thrain, they all watched as Thorin stood up and he walked over to Phoenix's side, whispering something to her and the two left the room. As they walked, they soon found themselves on a balcony that overlooked the starlight and moon that came from an opening in the mountain. The light shone upon a million gems of white crystal and it took Phoenix's breath away.

"Talk to me." Thorin told her.

"There isn't anything to talk about." Phoenix told him.

"Yes there is." Thorin replied swiftly. "Dain's words wounded you."

Phoenix turned to look at him. "It doesn't matter, I am still a bastard child Thorin and yes it pains me to know that people think of my mother as a whore, but there is nothing that I can do about it."

"We could prove that you're just Phoenix though." He told her.

"How do you suggest that we do that?" She asked.

"Well, you control fire, like a Phoenix, you resurrect, like a Phoenix." Thorin listed playfully, and he gently touched her bracelet and he watched as she soon ended up standing just under his eyes, her dwarf height slightly smaller and he gently entwined their hands.

"That is all." She told him.

"No, you love me." Thorin told her. "Even when the stone took over, you still confessed your love for me outside of the gates. And you forgave me."

"Of course I did." She told him. "I love you."

"I know." He told her, kissing her forehead, before he pulled her into a hug. "One day you will be more than my lover Phoenix, one day you will be my wife, and my queen and maybe if Mahal and the elvish gods allow, you will also be the mother of my children."

"You've really thought this through haven't you lad?" Thrain asked and they both jumped away to find him in the doorway.

"Relax; I'm not here to scold." He told them playfully. "I'm mainly here to ask whether I could have an audience with my son and his love tomorrow afternoon."

"Of course father." Thorin nodded.

"Excellent, well Balin is going to show me to my sleeping quarters, so I must be off, and Thorin, I think you need to talk to your cousin before you go to bed."

Thorin nodded and he gently kissed Phoenix's forehead before Phoenix watched both of them leave when they were both gone, Phoenix walked to her room and she found Tauriel and Kili walking to Tauriel's room and she noticed that once she was safe inside, Kili went to his own room. The next morning, Kili and Tauriel met in the stables together to groom the horses.

"Do you think we should give them a ride?" Kili asked.

"Maybe a short one, there is a lake over that mountain ridge; maybe we could take them there?" Tauriel suggested.

"That sounds like a good idea." Kili nodded and he saddled up his pony as Tauriel saddled up her horse.

"Want me to pack our weapons; maybe we could catch some food?" Tauriel asked.

"Yeah, we're going to need a lot now that my grandfather has suddenly reappeared." Kili told her.

She nodded and she attached her arrows and long bow, before she climbed into her saddle, riding off with him, heading for the fields she told him about on the other side of the mountain. As they rode, Kili couldn't help but notice the smiled Tauriel held as she felt the wind flowing through her hair and hitting her face. She was beautiful, soon after they were over the mountain, they slowed their horses to a walk and they rode side by side.

"Tauriel...Can I tell you something?" He asked.

"Of course you can." She told him. "What is it Kili?"

"I'm really glad that you chose me." He told her.

Tauriel looked at him and she could not help the smile on her lips. "I would not be happy with anyone else."

Kili smiled. "That I'm glad for." He told her, and they soon found the lake. It was a lovely area, filled with trees, plants and other foliage as well as a large clear lake.

"This looks amazing, how did you know about this place?" Kili asked.

"Phoenix found it when we came out here on a hunt one day." She told him. "We found it that night when we were out late and it was unsafe to return to the mountain."

"Yeah Thorin looked like he was about to explode that night." He laughed. "It's nice to see how protective he is of the one he loves."

"Yes, it is...I've heard a lot of stories about Phoenix, it's nice to see that someone can love her." Tauriel told her.

"It is." Kili smiled. "What about you?"

"What do you mean?" Tauriel asked.

"Have you ever had a lover?" He asked. "Well, apart from me."

"No." She told him. "I have never really given much thought to my love life...Until I met you anyway."

Her revelation made Kili smile, and he could not help but be happy that he now knew that he would be her first in everything. But there was one thing that he wanted to ask her. Yet Tauriel beat him to it.

"There is something that I want you to tell me." She told him.

"What is it my love?" He asked her.

"Why do you not sit upon my bed when we are in my room?" She asked, looking at him with curious eyes.

"Because it is not proper for a dwarf man to stay in a maiden's bed," He told her. "At least not whilst they aren't married."

"But Kili, we are courting." She told him.

"I know, but I will only do it once we are married." He told her. "That and much more." He told her with a smile as he watched Tauriel turn away and blush.

"Once we are married..." She whispered.

"What's the matter Tauriel?" Kili asked. "Do you not want to marry me?"

"Of course I want to marry you, someday." She told him.

"Then marry me." He told her, and Tauriel turned back to find him down on one knee behind her, holding out a ring of pure silver.

At seeing the design of the ring, Tauriel was shocked into silence. It was beautiful, the design so ornate it could only have come from Kili's craftsmanship.

"Oh Kili..." She whispered. "It is beautiful...How did you make something like this?"

"I had some free time whilst you and Phoenix went hunting one night." He told her. "Fili is going through his lessons for the throne and I had nothing to do, but I have been designing this for weeks."

"Did anyone know?" She asked.

"Phoenix had some suspicions when she came across one of my designs." Kili confessed, rather sheepishly. "But I swore her to secrecy and by the looks of it she kept her word."

"Yes, Phoenix is awfully good at that." Tauriel agreed.

Both of them stayed silent for a while, before Kili started to feel the burn in his left leg that still remained after his injury in Mirkwood from the orc arrow.

"Tauriel, I do not mean to rush you, but could I please have your answer?"

Tauriel realised what he meant and she gave him a smile of sorrow before it turned to joy in mere seconds. "Of course I will marry you."

With a beaming smile, Kili slid the ring onto her finger and he leant up to kiss her deeply, the pair soon getting lost in the kiss as Kili pushed Tauriel back on the soft floor as their kiss had them lost in passion of other means.

Meanwhile, back in Erebor, Phoenix was walking around looking for Thrain and she soon found him in the treasure room.

"Are you alright?" She asked him.

"Aye lass, I am." Thrain told her.

Phoenix soon stood beside him and she looked at him, she could tell that he was anything but alright.

"Thrain, man presta tye?" She asked him.

"Nothing really." Thrain sighed. "It's just that when I look upon all of this," He gestured to the gold and treasure before them. "I do not see how it all made my father mad." He sighed. "Nor do I see how Thorin could keep it here."

"And where do you think that it would go?" Phoenix asked. "Thorin is no longer affected by the lure of gold and jewels, he is able to focus his possession on other things."

"Like you?" Thrain asked.

"Possibly." She told him with a small smile. "Now come, you asked for a meeting with Thorin and me this afternoon, so he sent me to find you."

Thrain smiled. "Aye lass, I did, now would you mind helping an old dwarf to where his son reigns?" He asked and Phoenix gave him a smile, before she took his arm and together they walked towards the throne room.

They walked through Erebor together, Phoenix on Thrain's arm and the pair of them were happily walking, ignoring the looks that Phoenix received and Thrain made sure they did not give her anymore afterwards.

"Remind me again," Phoenix told him. "What caused you to learn Elvish?"

Thrain smiled. "It was back in the Valley, I heard you speaking to Uldoniair, and it sounded like a really intense conversation, and I desperately wanted to hear what you were telling her." He told her.

"So you learnt Elvish just so that you could eavesdrop?" Phoenix asked.

"Well, when you put it like that, it sounds like a bad thing." He told her with a chuckle.

"It is a bad thing." She told him as she giggled. "Thrain, Son of Thror, you are a despicable dwarf."

"And you, Rhavaniel Eccaia, of Rivendell and the Valley of Peace, are a very judgemental half elf." He told her through laughter and he playfully gave her a push and he laughed more when she pushed him back.

"Come now; let us hurry to find my son." Thrain smiled and he and Phoenix quickened their pace and they came to the throne room, finding Fili and Dwalin stood outside on guard.

"You two got roped into guard duty?" Phoenix asked.

"Aye lass." Dwalin nodded. "Dis shooed us both out when she came to talk to Thorin."

"Again?" Phoenix sighed. "She had him in her chambers speaking to him all morning."

"Now lass, do not worry." Dwalin told her.

"Aye Phoenix, he's right, do not worry." Thrain told her. "Now you open the doors and both of you go and have some fun and Fili make sure you find that lass of yours." Thrain told them, looking at Dwalin and Fili who bowed and left, before he watched as Phoenix opened the doors to the throne room. Inside, they found that the siblings were arguing, both of their faces red with anger and no doubt the thoughts of injuring one another, whilst Uldoniair sat on one side of Thorin's throne, listening to the pair and even she looked unhappy with the situation.

"What an earth are you doing?" Thrain asked them as he and Phoenix walked into the throne room.

"My sister was just leaving." Thorin told them and they watched as Dis looked at him, and if looks could kill, then Thorin would be dead at least fifty times over, before she mock bowed to her brother and gave her father a kiss on the cheek, before she glared at Phoenix and left the throne room, slamming the doors shut as she left.

When Dis was gone, Thorin got off of his throne and he walked down to meet his lover and his father, and he and his father clasped hands before Phoenix change to her dwarvish height and he pulled her close, kissing her lips gently. Phoenix kept the kiss for a bit longer, moving a hand to hold Thorin's face and she smiled softly when they pulled away.

"I have missed you." She told him.

"I have missed you too." He told her.

Thrain smiled watching them, he loved the look of love that the two had for each other, and how they seemed to be made for each other, but they were here to discuss business, so reluctantly he broke them up with a soft cough.

"Forgive me father." Thorin told him. "But there are times where I cannot resist her."

Thrain smiled as he watched Thorin return to his throne and Phoenix stood at his side. "Do not be sorry my son, I too understand the hold love has over a dwarf, it is more potent than any jewel or piece of gold."

"Aye father, it is." Thorin smiled, watching as Phoenix sat on the same step of his throne, waiting for them both to begin as Uldoniair nuzzled her.

"Thrain, you said that you wish to talk." Phoenix told him. "What is it that you wish to talk about?"

Thrain smiled. "Well, I wish to talk politics and business, and then could we possible talk about a happier subject?" He asked.

"Of course father, now what politics and business could we possibly need to talk about?" Thorin asked as he sat back in his throne.

"Well, first of all, my dear son I would like to know of my title." Thrain told them. "I cannot be king as I have fully advocated the throne to you, so what shall my title be?"

"Lord or Ered Luin." Thorin told him instantly.

Both Phoenix and Thrain looked at him, and Thorin suddenly felt as though his choice had not been a right one.

"Thorin, it would be an honour." Thrain told him. "I thought that you would not give me a title so great."

"It is a title that fits you well father." Thorin nodded. "Now was there anything else?"

"Aye, there is just one more." Thrain told him.

"Do tell us." Thorin told him.

"It is about setting up a market and trading day in Dale." Thrain told him. "I wish to personally oversee it, alongside Fili and Phoenix, if it is agreeable, since they both have loved ones in the city."

Thorin looked at Phoenix who looked back at him. "Does this please you?"

"It does." Phoenix nodded and then Thorin nodded.

"That is permitted, I suggest inviting Bard up to the mountain, him and his family and from here we will discuss it."

Everyone was in agreement and Thrain promised to start making preparations straight away.

They lapsed into silence for a few minutes, Uldoniair making her way around the throne and Thorin to where Phoenix sat and she sat next to her as Phoenix smiled at her and started to stroke her ear closest to her.

"So, you said that you wanted to discuss good news, what news were you referring to father?" Thorin asked.

"I was referring to you two." Thrain told him and the pair looked at each other and then back at the older dwarf.

"Come now; have you two seriously not given any thoughts to it?" Thrain asked. "I mean Phoenix, you wear your courtship braid happily on view for everyone, but have you ever thought of getting the marriage bead?" He asked.

"How many beads like this do dwarves have exactly?" She asked.

"Only the courtship one, which is the one you are wearing now and the marriage one which I hope you, will get soon." Thrain told them, looking at Thorin intently.

"Father, we are in a slight misunderstanding situation right now, I am waiting for Dain and his men to leave so I can think clearly about giving Phoenix such a bead." Thorin told him. "I do not want her to endure more than what she already is, I want her to at least be happy and comfortable."

Phoenix went quiet as she let Thorin speak, he had not asked for her hand yet because it would upset Dain exceptionally and that meant that she would get worse than what she was getting now?

"That I can understand, but don't let Dain or Dis, or anyone for that matter, get in between something that the pair of you wants." Thrain told them.

"We won't Thrain." Phoenix promised him.

"Now, my other question, was about when should I be expecting any grandchildren?" He asked and almost immediately Thorin's face was as white as a sheet.

"Thorin, breathe." Phoenix told him and after a few deep breathes, Thorin could speak again.

"Father, how do you know about that?" Thorin asked.

"Son, it's not hard for a man to see when his own son is receiving love physically from a woman." Thrain told him. "You keep staring at her breasts and her behind, it's really not that hard to put two and two together and realise that you are fantasizing about what the pair of you have done together."

By this time Phoenix was both showing a cute shade of fuchsia on her cheeks and laughing so hard she was almost falling over, and Thorin was still as white as a sheet as how his father could possibly know that he and Phoenix had had sex with each other.

"Father, Phoenix and I are not expecting any children just yet." Thorin told him.

"Well get on with it." Thrain told him. "I would like to see some grandchildren from you; son after you kept telling me that it would never happen." Thrain then took his leave to go and sort out preparations for Bard to come up to the mountain and Phoenix made a note to ask Thorin about what his father meant, another time.

Meanwhile, back in the clearing, Kili and Tauriel were still locked in a battle of the lips and now their hands had become involved as Kili was now completely shirtless and Tauriel was enjoying running her hands through his coarse chest hair, just to hear the appreciative moans of the dwarf above her as their lips locked together.

"Kili, we need to stop..." She whispered as the dwarf's hand snuck their way under her loosened tunic. "People could see."

"Let them." Kili told her. "Let people watch and see the proper way for a male to take his fiancée."

Tauriel shivered at his words and she found herself feeling great pleasure. Kili himself had never seen the appeal of dirty talk, but he felt the shiver of pleasure it elicited from Tauriel and he was determined to continue.

"Let them watch as I peel away your layers of clothing so that they can see the proper way to pleasure a lady with their fingers." He told her, removing her layers as he spoke until she was fully naked and he took a large and soft pale breast in each hand and rubbed his thumbs over the rapidly hardening nipples, earning a moan from the elf.

"Kili, I love you, but please do something." Tauriel moaned.

Kili did not need to be told twice and when he had pulled Tauriel's pants off, he suddenly spread her legs and his mouth found its way to her nether region. The feeling of his mouth on her caused Tauriel to jerk her hands into his hair.

"Oh gods!" She moaned. "Kili!"

Kili allowed himself a second to smirk before his lips clasped around her already swollen nub and he applied some gentle sucking which had her coming undone within minutes. He was surprised by how fast she had cum, but Tauriel looked almost livid that it had been over so soon, and Kili intended to sort that, so he carefully moved up her body, kissing her lips.

"Did you not enjoy it?" He asked, seeing the livid look on her face.

"I enjoyed it, I really did." She told him but she now looked embarrassed. "I'm just sorry that I came so quickly." She saw that he was about to say something, but she suddenly flipped him onto his back and she straddled him. "But now it's my turn to return the favour."

Kili was not sure about what she was actually going to do, and he watched in almost amazement as she moved down his body, her lips kissing from his neck to his chest to his stomach until she pulled his pants and breeches off and revealed his painfully erect and rather large member. Kili saw her surprise at his size, and he vaguely remembered a joke Thorin told him: that the son's of Durin were only ever well hung in order to ensure that the women that they bedded would always come back. Originally, Kili and Fili had laughed at it, but now he was worried. If this went all the way, it would be Tauriel's first time as well as his own, and he knew it hurt the woman during their first time, but he worried that his mere size would hurt her too much. Yet he did not have much time to dwell on it before his thoughts were brought back to Tauriel who by now, had taken his member in her mouth and was bobbing her head up and down on his member happily.

"Oh fuck, Tauriel..." Kili moaned, a hand knotting into her hair tightly.

Tauriel continued what she was doing, swirling her tongue around the shaft and gently sucking on the head and it did not take long for Kili to be able to fall over the edge.

"Oh fuck...Tauriel...I'm gonna..." He groaned as Tauriel pulled herself off of his dick and he looked up at her. "Come here." He told her and she crawled up his body until she was straddling him again and he pulled her down for a kiss.

"Kili..." Tauriel whispered.

"Hmm?" He asked through the kiss.

"I want you inside me." She told him, but she stopped him as he was about to flip her onto her back, and at his questioning look, he soon realised why as she raised herself up slightly and she guided him to her entrance, before she slid herself down on his length. At feeling her take in the head of his member, Kili's hands flew to her hips, gently guiding her, and he stopped when he saw the look of discomfort on her face as he reached her barrier.

"Tauriel..." He choked out, everything to him felt perfect, he loved the way that she body was squeezing him and stretching to accommodate him.

"Kili, it's alright." She whispered, before she took the rest of his member inside her and Kili felt himself break through her barrier and he sat up, not only changing the angle and drawing a gasp from her lips, but allowed himself to kiss the pain away as he was able to come face to face with her breasts. His distraction with her breasts helped her to focus and soon the pain began to fade and she started to ride him, drawing him almost all of the way out, before taking him back inside her. The more she moved the more pleasure they both felt and soon they were moaning and gasping against each other, stealing lewd kisses whenever they could. Kili could feel a tingling sensation coming over him and he knew that he would cum soon, but he forced himself to hold off until Tauriel was closer to the edge. Running a hand between, Kili found the bundle of nerves of Tauriel's most sensitive place and he gently rubbed his thumb against them. His actions caused Tauriel to tense suddenly before she moaned loudly and her movements became slightly faster. Her moans coming more frequently and he felt her vagina squeezing him tightly as she let out a scream as she came. Kili kept moving in order to maintain her orgasm and after a few more thrusts, he exploded with a cry of her name as his seed filled her inside.

Moments passed between the pair and they found themselves lying together on the grass, Kili still on his back with Tauriel curled up on his chest. Kili pressed gentle kisses to her hair that had her stirring on him and he smiled softly at her.

"It's getting late my beloved, we should be getting home." Kili told her.

Tauriel looked up at the sky and true to his word, it had grown dark and the stars were starting to make an appearance.

"Indeed, we should, people will be looking for you." Tauriel told him.

"Not just me." He reminded her kissing her gently and the pair separated and dressed, helping each other and they packed up their weapons, and found their horses, before they started a slow walk back towards the mountain. As they walked, Tauriel slid her fingers between Kili's and soon Kili looked up at her.

"Should we tell everyone about the engagement?" Kili asked.

"We will have to eventually." Tauriel told him. "Let's tell them tonight, so that we can get it over with."

Kili nodded, in truth he was not looking forward to the trouble that she would be given when people found out, but together they brought their horses into the stable and walked up into the mountain. As they walked, they ignored the stares and whispers; however no one seemed to notice the engagement ring of pure silver on Tauriel's finger. As they rounded the corner closer to Tauriel's room, they suddenly walked into a figure clad in a red satin dress, embroider with gold thread, and they did not realise that it was actually Phoenix.

"Hey Phoenix, I almost didn't recognise you." Kili laughed.

"Your grandfather told me to wear it." Phoenix shrugged. "He and Thorin teamed up on me, and you have one as well Tauriel, green with silver thread."

"Thorin's idea?" She asked.

"No Kili and Fili's idea apparently," Phoenix told them and both of them looked at Kili.

"Now you two better hurry up and get ready, it's nearly time for the feast." Phoenix told them and he left them to it, carrying on her walking.

Kili and Tauriel locked the door to her room once they were both safe inside and they looked at each other, before Tauriel spied the green dress that was laid on the back of the chair in the corner of the room and the emerald green pumps that were on the floor with it.

"Kili, you and your brother designed this?" She asked.

"Almost." Kili told her. "It was mainly me, but the seamstress was happy to be given the challenge of making a dress to fit an elf."

"Well Doriz has always been lovely to me." Tauriel told him as she took the dress behind a changing screen and she changed into the soft flowing garment.

"Doriz who?" Kili asked as he waited for her.

"Doriz, the seamstress." Tauriel told him. "That's her name."

"Oh." Kili suddenly felt pretty stupid; of course she would know the name of the seamstress, it only made sense since they were close.

"What do you think?" Tauriel asked and she walked out from behind the screen, the emerald green dress suited her immensely and Kili stared at her with wide eyes.

"Tauriel...You look..." He could not find the words to tell her.

"Ridiculous?" She asked.

"No, you look amazing." He told her. "Do you mind if I quickly change in here?" He asked.

"Of course not." She told him and she sat at her dressing table and fixed her hair as she waited. After a few moments she smiled to herself as Kili rested his hands on either side of her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. Looking in the mirror she saw that he was dressed in a blue tunic with silver thread, his pants were clean and his boots shining and his hair was no longer a mess that it had been from their days festivities.

"How do I look?" He asked his voice low and soft.

"Like a prince." She told him. "A very handsome prince."

Kili smiled and he moved back so that she could get to her feet and he led her down to the banquet hall where they could hear the already loud music coming from inside, and they found Phoenix, Thorin and Fili waiting for them.

"There you two are, we thought that my brother had stolen you away Tauriel." Fili told her and Tauriel gave him a soft smile.

"He wishes he could." She told him and as Fili laughed, Kili looked up at her. "You have no idea."

"Right now, come on, we would like some food tonight." Thorin told them and together the five of them walked into the banquet hall, Phoenix on Thorin's arm, Tauriel on Kili's and Fili bringing up the rear.

 **Translations:**

Alacarna nin draug, amin vista ta amin innas ui ea ogra estel tye nin diant sadron : Well done my wolf, I know that I will always be able to trust you my loyal companion.

Nin meldis : my friend (female)

Gerin ú aw ithog beth o tye meldir: anen essë na gumri an tye : I have not had any word from you my friend, I was beginning to worry for you.

Inyë nauth han tye aw thaihaew ad : I thought that you had become ill again.

Baw gumri an nin, tye gar bain nín nossë ye nin di anann cuil : Do not worry for me, you have blessed my kin and I with long life

Thrain, man presta tye? : Thrain, what troubles you?


	30. Chapter 30

**The songs used in this chapter are as follows:**

 _ **Diggy Diggy Hole**_ **by Nightscore (but imagine a deeper version)**

 ** _Arwen's Song (The Grace of Uldomiel)_**

Do we or don't we?

They joined the ever loud crowd of dwarves who had congregated the food on the tables. However, despite the noise they made, they were able to hear the announcement of their king and the princes and they all bowed to Thorin, Fili and Kili, but made sure to leave Phoenix and Tauriel out. Well, everyone except for Thrain.

"Ah, Phoenix, Tauriel, come, sit with an old dwarf." He shouted over the noise and the two were forced to sit on either side of him, though it made Thorin, Fili and Kili smile.

As the feast began, Tauriel kept sharing glances with Kili who sat across from her and she looked worried, though only Phoenix was close enough to ask.

"Tauriel, tye thîr dem." Phoenix spoke and the other elf looked at her.

"Man ná cared dem, heruin nín?" Thrain asked and it was obvious that his ability to speak Elvish had caught Tauriel off guard.

"Munta ná cared nin dem, hîr nín." Tauriel told Thrain. "Ná ilquen tye ista, gar an pedo edhellen?" Tauriel asked Phoenix.

"Fael ti i iest an gelia." Phoenix told her with a smile as she took a sip of her soup.

Thrain was not convinced by Tauriel's words at all and he looked at her closely. "How is your relationship with my grandson going, any grandchildren in the future?"

This caused Tauriel to stop for a minute and she seemed to freeze and everyone looked over the table as they saw Kili nearly choke on his food, before Fili rescued him by giving him swift and hard pats to the back.

"Easy there brother, don't choke yourself to death." Fili told him as Kili calmed himself down by downing his mug of mead.

Phoenix looked between them and she looked at Thrain. "Thrain, nin baw sana han Kili and Tauriel gar anthan odog nauth an veryanwë far, san sén na hen lû balt na gordh." She told him. This seemed to pacify Thrain for a while longer, and Kili and Tauriel both gave Phoenix a smile in thanks.

As the feast wore on, everyone dissolved into their own conversations, and they all were treated to a song by the dwarves, that were started off by no one but Bofur who was being pestered by Phoenix.

"Bofur, please, do you have any songs to grace us at dinner?" She asked from where she sat by Thorin and where Bofur sat near the middle of the long table.

"Aye lass, I would love nothing more than to grace you and the lady Tauriel with a song of our dwarves." He told she and he pulled his fiddle out from under the table and he started to play. As he played, many dwarves started to sing and Tauriel and Phoenix watched those dwarves who had accompanied Thorin on his quest sing along.

 _Brothers of the mine rejoice!_

 _Swing, swing, swing with me_

 _Raise your pick and raise your voice!_

 _Sing, sing, sing with me_

 _Down and down into the deep_

 _Who know what we'll find beneath?_

 _Diamonds, rubies, gold, and more_

 _Hidden in the mountain store_

 _Born underground, suckled from a teat of stone  
Raised in the dark, the safety of our mountain home  
Skin made of iron, steel in our bones  
To dig and dig makes us free  
Come on, brothers, sing with me!_

 __ _I am a dwarf and I'm digging a hole  
Diggy diggy hole, diggy diggy hole  
I am a dwarf and I'm digging a hole  
Diggy diggy hole, digging a hole_

 __ _The sunlight will not reach this low  
Deep, deep in the mine  
Never seen the blue moon glow  
Dwarves won't fly so high  
Fill a glass and down some mead  
Stuff your bellies at the feast!  
Stumble home and fall asleep  
Dreaming in our mountain keep_

 __ _Born underground, grown inside a rocky womb  
The Earth is our cradle; the mountain shall become our tomb  
Face us on the battlefield; you will meet your doom  
We do not fear what lies beneath, we can never dig too deep_

 __ _I am a dwarf and I'm digging a hole  
Diggy diggy hole, diggy diggy hole  
I am a dwarf and I'm digging a hole  
Diggy diggy hole, digging a hole  
I am a dwarf and I'm digging a hole  
Diggy diggy hole, diggy diggy hole  
I am a dwarf and I'm digging a hole_

 __ _Diggy diggy hole, digging a hole  
Born underground, suckled from a teat of stone  
Raised in the dark, the safety of our mountain home  
Skin made of iron, steel in our bones  
To dig and dig makes us free  
Come on, brothers, sing with me_

 __ _I am a dwarf and I'm digging a hole  
Diggy diggy hole, diggy diggy hole  
I am a dwarf and I'm digging a hole  
Diggy diggy hole, digging a hole  
I am a dwarf and I'm digging a hole  
Diggy diggy hole, diggy diggy hole  
I am a dwarf and I'm digging a hole  
Diggy diggy hole, digging_

Within the first few verses, Fili and Kili had started singing, raising their mugs of mead to the tune as they sang relatively off-key! And Phoenix looked over as she heard a soft voice beside her and she recognized that Thorin was also singing quietly to the song and it made her smile, as she laced her fingers with his.

Kili looked over the table at Tauriel and he saw her hiding a small smile as she looked down at her plate and he could not help the smile that came to his own lips. Though suddenly it was forced to leave for his face as Dain started speaking, but he was looking at Phoenix instead of Tauriel this time.

"Elf whore." Dain spoke, walking over to where Phoenix was sat and Phoenix concentrated on her drink.

"What is it Dain?" Phoenix asked, and everyone could see that Phoenix hated the name that he had for her, but she could not do much about it.

"Maybe you could show us some of your songs?" He asked. "Unless, elves are as up their own arses as they make out to be?"

Phoenix looked at him. "Elves specialize in lullabies, not songs for feasts full of dwarves who don't know when to be quiet." She told him.

"Well then, sing us a lullaby, bitch." He sneered.

Phoenix looked at him before she looked at Thorin as he started to speak. "She doesn't have to do anything that she doesn't want to."

"But please Phoenix, could you sing one for me?" Thrain asked from besides her, putting a hand over one of hers and Phoenix looked at him and nodded.

Phoenix thought for a moment before she came up with a song.

 _I saw a star rise high on the evening sky_

 _It hung like a jewel_

 _Softly shining_

 _I saw a star fade in the evening sky_

 _The dark was too deep and so the light died_

 _Softly pining_

 _For what never was_

 _For a life, long lived_

 _For what might have been_

 _For a love half given_

When she had finished singing, the dwarves all seemed to stare at her, not knowing what else to say. And with that, both Phoenix and Tauriel took their chance to retire to their rooms and they walked together through the halls of stone towards their rooms.

"I'm sorry that you didn't get to tell everyone your news." Phoenix told her.

"How did you know?" Tauriel asked her as they walked.

"I know the value of silver to an elf." She nodded to the ring on Tauriel's finger. "I'm not as blind as others."

Tauriel looked down at the ring and she smiled softly. "At least I have been able to tell somebody." She smiled.

"That is true." She smiled. "Now, I suggest you get to bed, we have a lot of ground to cover tomorrow whilst we are on our trip."

Tauriel nodded. "I will be ready and refreshed, don't you worry."

Phoenix smiled and as she stood outside of Tauriel's door, Tauriel looked back at her. "Phoenix?" She asked.

"Yes?" Phoenix looked up at her.

"That song, it was the Song of Uldomiel, wasn't it?" Tauriel asked. "It was your sister's song?"

"It was." Phoenix nodded. "Usually a song such as that is secret, but he asked for a song and it shut them up."

Tauriel smiled slightly. "You miss her don't you?" She asked.

"I do." She nodded. "Her and my brothers and my ada, but I live here now, I cannot simply leave."

Tauriel nodded in understanding before she bid her goodnight and went into her room, leaving Phoenix to walk to her own room alone. As she walked about her room, Tauriel hoped that Phoenix would be okay, she knew how she felt, after all Tauriel missed her parents like crazy but she was about to go back to Mirkwood to see them. But even Tauriel knew that might not be as easy as she had hoped.

Meanwhile, Kili, Fili and Thorin were stood on the balcony that overlooked the bridge to the entrance of Erebor and they were watching the moon, just as there was the sound of footsteps behind them. Turning, the royals found Uldoniair walking to them and it made them smile as she walked straight to Thorin and nuzzled his hand as he brushed a hand against her ear.

"She seems to adore you, uncle." Kili observed.

"Aye, she does." Thorin smiled looking down at the wolf.

"Maybe because she knows who holds her mistress' heart?"

They all turned to find Thrain joining them and at seeing him, Uldoniair started to beat her tail against the stone beneath their feet and Thrain smiled stroking her ears.

"I didn't realise that she was a Dire Wolf." Kili spoke up as he watched Uldoniair.

"None of us did, when I first met Phoenix, Uldoniair wasn't much older than a pup and now, she's almost fully grown for a female Dire Wolf." Thrain spoke.

"I wonder how Phoenix found her." Fili wondered out loud as he watched Uldoniair put her paws on the wall and using the height standing on her back legs gave her, she looked out at the world outside of Erebor.

"That is something that Phoenix has kept to herself, not even I know the story." Thrain told them, before he looked at Thorin. "Maybe you should ask her laddie."

"Maybe I will." Thorin nodded. "But right now, I think that I will join my love in our bed." He told them.

"Alright laddie, pass on my sweet dreams wishes to Phoenix." Thrain told him.

"I will father, good night nephews." Thorin told them as he and Uldoniair walked toward Phoenix's room.

"Good night Uncle." They chorused.

When he was gone, it was not long before Thrain excused himself to get some sleep as well and the two brothers were left alone.

"Why didn't you tell everyone about you and Tauriel?" Fili asked him.

"What do you mean?" Kili asked.

"I saw the ring of pure silver, only elves value a ring made of such a material." Fili told him. "You're engaged and you didn't even tell me."

"Honestly, it slipped my mind, I've been careful making sure that no one else finds out and even then, Phoenix found out." Kili told him. "I was going to tell you Fili, believe me I was, but I agreed with Tauriel that we should have kept it quiet."

"I'm not angry Kili, I'm happy for you, and I can understand why you've kept it quiet." He rested a hand on his younger brother's shoulder. "Just make sure that everything goes right between the pair of you."

"I will, I'm going to talk to her tomorrow before she and Phoenix go to Mirkwood to set up a trade treaty with Thranduil, and we will decide when to tell everyone else." Kili told him and Fili nodded.

"Good, make sure you both decide on what's right for the pair of you." He told him before he yawned and stretched. "Well, I'm off to bed, so I'll see you in the morning, good night little brother."

"Good night, big brother." Kili told him as he watched his brother walk away.

"And Kili?" Fili asked looking back at him.

"Yes Fili?" Kili asked, looking back at him.

"Go and join your fiancée." He told him and he laughed quietly to himself as he watched Kili run off toward Tauriel's room.

 **Translations**

Tauriel, tye thîr dem : Tauriel, you look sad

Man ná cared dem, heruin nín? : What is making you sad, my lady?

Munta ná cared dem, heruin nín : Nothing is making me sad, my lord

Ná ilquen tye ista, gar an pedo edhellen? : Is everybody you know, able to speak elvish?

Fael to i iest an gelia : Only those who wish to learn

Thrain, nin baw sana han Kili and Tauriel gar anthan odog nauth an veryanwë far, san sén na hen lû balt na gordh : Thrain, I do not think that Kili and Tauriel have given much thought to marriage yet, so children at this time might be difficult

Ada : Daddy


	31. Chapter 31

Trading Standards

The next morning, Tauriel woke up to arms around her and she found Kili fast asleep beside her. The mere sight of him there made her smile; it was almost like he was meant to be there. Looking to the ceiling of her room, she smiled to herself, before she carefully slipped from his grip and she made her way to her bathroom. Kili woke up not long after to the sounds of running water, and he followed the sound to Tauriel's bathroom, finding her lying in the stone bathtub, hot water still pouring into it as she rested her head on the side of the bath and had her eyes closed. She looked at peace and it made him smile.

"Can I join you, my lady?"

His voice seemed to break her reverie and she jumped upright into the sitting position and she grabbed a nearby towel to cover herself.

"Kili, advert your eyes." She scolded, even though they had been physical in their relationship, Tauriel was still nervous about her body.

"Tauriel, I've seen you naked before." Kili pointed out as he moved to take off his undershirt and though he kept his back to her, he knew that Tauriel kept sneaking glances. When he had successfully taken off his shirt, he walked over to where Tauriel was still lying in the bathtub and he looked at her.

"May I join you, my lady?" He asked again, his voice rough with lust.

The amount of lust that had edge into his voice as he stood over her made Tauriel shiver, and whilst she would have replied with a comment, she found her mouth too dry to form any such words, so instead she nodded, looking away as the prince took off his pants and he climbed into the water with her. Tauriel slid over and rested her back against his chest as Kili slid his arms around her, throwing her towel out of the way to reveal her body to him.

"You look beautiful." He whispered as his hands moved up her body and they stopped at her shoulder where he started massaging them gently.

As she received her massage, she leant into him. "Phoenix and I are going back to Mirkwood today...I might see my parents."

Kili looked down and saw the pensive look on her face, after all he knew that the prospect of Tauriel facing her parents again bothered her more than anything ever had, she valued the opinion of her parents and it hurt him to think of what might happen if they did not approve of their relationship.

"I know." He whispered. "But don't worry, Phoenix will help you bring them round." He told her.

"Yes, I hope she will." Tauriel murmured, too engrossed in the massage that she was receiving to say anything else.

"When do you leave?" He asked.

"After breakfast I think." She told him.

He sighed. "That means that I hardly get to see you before you go." He told her.

"You could always ask Thorin if you could escort us." Tauriel told him. "At least to Dale."

Kili thought about this for a moment before he nodded. "Good point."

"We will only be gone for a few days, Phoenix hates the thought of being in Mirkwood, but she will do it for her beloved." Tauriel told him.

"You'd think with Phoenix being their royalty, they would be nicer." Kili mused.

"I doubt Thranduil has told people that she is their royalty." Tauriel told him, she sounded sad at the thought of what Phoenix could possibly be going through when they reached the woodland elves. "Now I must hurry up, I still have to pack." She told him as she moved away to wash her body in the water, her hair not needing to be washed yet.

Kili watched her before he too washed himself down, he would have preferred longer in the water with her, but he did not mind. He grabbed a towel as he got out and he wrapped it around his waist as he followed him beloved into her room. He lounged on her bed as she went behind a screen to change and she came back out wearing her 'Captain of the Guard' clothing, before she pulled out a saddle bag from under the bed and set it on the bed before Kili, and then moved around the room packing what she would need.

When she was ready and Kili had dressed, they both walked down to the halls where they found everyone tucking into breakfast, and they sat at the table with Thorin, Phoenix, Fili, Dis and Thrain and they listened into the conversation for a few minutes.

"Lass, it seems like I've only just met you again and you're already leaving me." Thrain teased Phoenix who was sipping some Elvish tea.

Phoenix looked over at him. "Thrain, you know that that isn't the case." She told him. "Erebor needs an alliance with all of its neighbours, not just Dale, and since the Greenwood is our second closest ally, we need them."

"I know Lass, I'm only playing, honestly my son's manner hasn't half rubbed off on ye'." He told her glancing over to his son who rested a hand on one of Phoenix's and when they looked at each other, everyone saw the look of love in the other's eyes. They were truly destined.

Phoenix broke Thorin's gaze for a moment so that she could look over at Tauriel. "By the way Tauriel, Sigrid of Dale will be accompanying us."

"Why?" Tauriel asked. "I assumed that Bain would be accompanying us."

"I managed to persuade Bard." Phoenix told her. "After all, she is the oldest princess; she deserves to have some diplomatic missions to tend to."

"Is she of age to have suitors?" Kili asked.

"Yes, and that was part of the reason, she wishes to have no suitors from Gondor or Rohan come and ask for her hand, in fact, she wishes for time to focus on her duties first before she thinks of marriage." Phoenix told them, glancing over at Fili who looked almost angered at the thought that Sigrid had suitors calling at the door when he could hardly go down to Dale and see her without it causing problems.

"She's a smart lass, I say." Thrain commented.

"Sigrid has always wanted to marry for love." Phoenix told them.

"A Princess does not marry for love." Dis told them curtly. "She marries for alliances, to strengthen her father's position that is the duty of the Princess."

"Sister, not all Princesses marry as a duty." Thorin reminded her. "Phoenix hasn't."

"Well, I don't know Thorin." Phoenix told him playfully as he swatted her with his fork, causing her to laugh.

"Phoenix is a princess?" Kili asked.

"You two seriously didn't know?" Thrain asked.

"King Thranduil is my uncle." Phoenix told them as she finished her drink and she looked at Tauriel who had also finished her meal. "We should go and saddle the horses."

"Yes, we should." Tauriel agreed and she kissed Kili's cheek as Phoenix kissed Thorin's and the pair of them left the dining hall heading down to the stables.

When they were gone, Thorin saw the looks of surprise on his youngest nephew's face. "Are you alright Kili?"

"She's a Princess...Uncle...I am now ashamed." Kili told him.

"Why?" Thorin asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Because of the things that she has seen from my brother and I...From our company..." Kili began and he stopped when he heard Thorin laugh.

"Nephew, she didn't tell you because she wanted you to act normal around her." Thorin laughed.

This seemed so soothe Kili, before he looked at him. "Why don't you, Fili and I escort them to the boundaries of Dale?"

Thorin thought about this for a moment before he nodded. "Alright, we will escort them." Thorin told him and he watched his nephews leave in a rush straight for the stables whilst he walked at a more relaxed pace.

When he reached the stables, Phoenix was just tacking up Thorin's pony and he smiled as he watched her. Every time she fastened one strap, she stroked the pony's face and whispered soft words into its ear which seemed to soothe the pony. Thorin walked over to her and slid his arms around her waist from behind as she straightened herself up from leaning over to reach the final strap and she settled back into him after she had finished sorting out the pony's saddle and reigns.

"Come to see us off?" She asked him as she turned in his arms to face him.

"Kili had the idea of the three of us coming to see you two safely to the edges of Dale." He told her.

"I know." She told him, smiling softly.

"Oh, did you now?" He asked.

"Of course." She told him. "Kili can't be quiet for anyone."

This had Thorin laughing and he looked over at his nephew who was sitting in his saddle, his lips attached to Tauriel's who had remained standing on the floor.

"Now come on, you had best climb onto your horse, we still have to get Sigrid and make camp outside of the forest before night fall." Phoenix told them.

Thorin nodded. "You're right." He moved away to let her go to her horse and he climbed into his saddle as Tauriel and Phoenix did the same and soon they were all going towards the city of Dale.

When they reached Dale, the all waited outside of Bard's house, where Sigrid was tacking up her own horse, and she attached her saddle bag to the back before she pulled a travelling cloak over herself and as she done that, Fili noticed that she was wearing different clothes.

"Do the pants fit alright?" Phoenix asked her goddaughter who nodded.

"They fit fine Phoenix, thank you for making them for me." Sigrid told her as she climbed onto her saddle and looked back to see Bard walking to them holding a roll of parchment, which he placed in one of Sigrid's saddle bags.

"Be careful." He warned his daughter.

"I will da'." She told him, kissing his cheek. "I'll have Phoenix and Tauriel with me." She looked over at Tauriel and Phoenix who brought their horses over to lean over to each other and hug the young princess in greeting.

"She'll be fine." Phoenix told him. "She'll be with either me or Tauriel or both of us all of the time."

Bard nodded. "Make sure that you pay attention to everything that Phoenix is telling you." Bard told her.

"Bard, stop fussing." Phoenix told him. "Now go and rule your city, we will be back in a few days."

Bard nodded smiling as he kissed his daughter's forehead before he left them to it as they all rode off, Fili, Kili and Thorin following.

When they got to the edge of Dale, they pulled their horses to a stop once more and they looked back at the dwarves who had joined them.

"Be careful." Thorin told them. "Do what you can and make sure that you come home soon."

"We will." Phoenix told him. "And I have your parchment in my saddlebags, we will come home successful."

"I hope so." He told her, moving to kiss her hand. "Do not stay away too long."

"We won't my love." Phoenix promised and she looked at Kili and Tauriel who were just saying a good bye and Fili and Sigrid who shared a good bye kiss and then they all set off towards Mirkwood. They rode for hours until it started to grow dark. At this time, they had just reached the edges of the forest and Tauriel looked at Phoenix.

"We should set camp here, there is no where to find a comfortable spot on this side of the forest." She told them.

Phoenix looked back at Sigrid who appeared to have fallen asleep on her saddle, but Phoenix could see the discomfort of the long saddle ride on the young princess, so she looked back at Tauriel and nodded. "Alright, where do you think would be a good spot?" She asked.

"Over here looks good, and it is near the river so we can get water." Tauriel told her and Phoenix looked around.

"Over here looks good and it's dry." She told them as she dismounted from her horse. "Alright, do you two want to set up camp? I'll go and find us something to eat."

Tauriel nodded. "Good idea." She told her and they watched Phoenix take her bow and arrows, as she walked off and she and Sigrid dismounted. Working together, they set up their own tents and that of Phoenix, before Tauriel made a fire and tried to make it light with a lighting rock. It took a while and many sparks, before there was a small flame.

"Let's keep this going until Phoenix comes back." Sigrid suggested, feeding the fire with twigs as Tauriel nodded in agreement.

The two sat before the small fire, waiting for Phoenix to return and soon the fire started to grow more and more and they noticed that Phoenix was carrying a small deer to them.

"This will keep us fed for days." Tauriel told her.

"Not really, there isn't much meat on it." Phoenix told her. "It was all that I could find."

"It'll be fine." Sigrid told her, before she looked away as Phoenix started to clean the kill, the sight of the blood making her squeamish, before she helped Tauriel to cook the portions of meat that Phoenix had been giving to her.

When the meat was ready and everyone was sat around eating, Sigrid watched the two companions that she had and she looked at her pack that she was leaning against.

"Phoenix, Tauriel, can I ask you both something?" She asked.

"Of course." Phoenix told her as Tauriel looked up.

"Well, I was just wondering...You two both have romantic partners...right?" She asked.

"Yes?" Tauriel told her, wondering where this was going.

"How did you know that they liked you, romantically?" Sigrid asked.

"I will be honest Lady Sigrid; I thought that Kili was not fully in love with me, until he kissed me when Phoenix woke him up after he was killed." Tauriel told her.

Sigrid nodded before she looked at Phoenix. "How did you know that Thorin likes you Phoenix?"

Phoenix looked up at her. "He told me." She shrugged.

"That was it?" She asked.

Phoenix nodded. "Pretty much, he found me on my own in the rose garden of Rivendell; decided to tell me how he felt and then he kissed me." She shrugged.

"Well that seems quite romantic." Sigrid told her. "I didn't know that Thorin had it in him to be honest."

Phoenix laughed. "In honesty, he is quite a romantic dwarf when he has the time."

Sigrid smiled, before she started to yawn. "I'm sorry; I think I need some sleep."

"I say we all go and get some sleep, then we can carry on with our journey at first light." Tauriel told them.

"Good idea Tauriel." Phoenix told her. "Alright guys, pleasant dreams." She told them as they all walked to their tents.

"Good night Tauriel, good night Phoenix." Sigrid told them as she shut her tent.

"Good night Sigrid, good night Phoenix." Tauriel told them as she too shut herself into her tent.

"Good night Tauriel, good night Sigrid." Phoenix told them and she lay on her rolls, soon falling asleep.

The next morning, Tauriel and Phoenix were woken up at dawn by the sun and they met each other by the fireplace, where Tauriel started cooking some of the meat that they had saved from the previous night and whilst Phoenix cooked them, Tauriel woke Sigrid. When everyone was ready and had eaten their fill, they all started their trek through the forest.

"Keep close Sigrid." Tauriel told her as their horses walked in a single line through the forest.

"I will." Sigrid told her, bringing up the end of the line.

They rode for what felt like hours, before they suddenly came to the bridge that led them to the gates of Thranduil's palace.

"Is this where you used to live?" Sigrid asked Tauriel quietly.

"Yes Sigrid, this used to be my home." She told her, before they all dismounted their horses as they crossed the bridge and elves walked forward, to take their horses to a nearby stables and other took their bags up to their rooms, before they were met by an elf that Tauriel and Phoenix recognised instantly - Legolas.

"Hello dear cousin." Phoenix told him with a smile as he took her hand and kissed it.

"Hello sweet cousin." Legolas smiled at her after he kissed her hand, before he looked at Tauriel. "Hello good friend."

Tauriel smiled. "Hello Legolas."

"Hello Lady Sigrid." He told her with a soft smile.

"Hello Prince Legolas." She told him with a bow of her head like Phoenix showed her how to greet people.

"Father asked me to meet you three at the gate, in order to take you to your rooms." He told them as he led them into the gates of the Greenwood and through corridors to where their rooms were located.

They were each given a room each and Legolas waited for them to put their things inside, when they joined him, he lead them to the banquet hall and only then did they realise how late it was. Walking into the banquet hall, they were met by soft elvish music and there was only Thranduil sat at the table, drinking from a silver chalice of wine.

"Ah, there you three are." He spoke to them. "I was beginning to think that you weren't coming."

They all took their seats at the table, and they all started to eat as serving elves walked over and gave each of them some food. They all ate in relative silence, before Thranduil decided to speak.

"Tauriel, your parents have asked to see you tomorrow, so you will not be able to join in with the meeting." Thranduil told her.

Tauriel looked at them and then she looked at Phoenix, before she looked back at Thranduil. "I will meet them, did they say where?" She asked.

"Your old home." Thranduil told her.

Tauriel nodded. "Thank you my lord."

Thranduil simply nodded before he looked at Phoenix and Sigrid. "I trust that you two represent the mountain and the town of men?" He asked.

"We do." Phoenix spoke and Tauriel and Legolas could tell that she did not want to be here.

"Then we will meet in the throne room early morning." He told them. "I trust you have the treaties from your kingdoms."

"We do, we can give them to you later." Phoenix told him.

Thranduil nodded. "Phoenix, I would also like for you to see me tonight." He noticed the hard look that she gave him. "It is something of your mother's that I found."

Phoenix nodded. "Alright, after dinner?" She asked.

"Yes that will be acceptable." He told her with a nod.

After dinner, retrieved the scrolls from both Thorin and Bard with their own offerings for the trade agreement with Thranduil whilst Tauriel and Legolas escorted Sigrid to her rooms, where she was able to get some sleep for the meeting tomorrow. When Phoenix came back to the banquet hall, where Thranduil was waiting, he waited until they were alone; and once he was sure that they were fully alone, Thranduil looked at her as he got to his feet.

"Come with me." He told her.

Phoenix walked to follow him as he led her through corridors and up flights of winding stairs until he reached a secret room.

"Nobody comes in here but I," He told her. "This is a sacred room to me, but I am going to share it with you."

"Why?" Phoenix asked. "You hate me."

"Because you are my family, even though you are not a full elf, you still have the blood of my family going through your veins." Thranduil told her and he let her into the room with him before he locked the door. Looking around the room, it was full of portraits and trinkets, some from that of a child to some of a grown woman. She recognised a portrait of Thranduil with his wife and she walked over to look at it.

"She was very beautiful."

"She was." He told her. "She loved my son very much."

Phoenix looked at him and she saw the look of loss in his eyes, he missed his wife. "Uncle, why have you asked me here?" She asked quietly, she did not know what had caused her to use the term 'uncle' but she found that it actually made him smile slightly.

"Because you deserve to know your full story," He told her, bringing her over to where a small portrait lay.

Handing it to Phoenix, she was able to see a woman lying on a bed, she recognised her as her mother, and she was holding a child, a newborn infant in her arms, but there was a man beside her and judging from how he was sat, he was of dwarvish height. Then it hit her, this was her family! Her parents looked to be in love, her mother was alive after her birth! If this was true, what had happened?

"This can't be real." Phoenix told him.

"Rhavaniel, it is real, your mother and father loved each other." Thranduil told her.

"No, my father raped my mother! I am the product of hatred! And I killed my mother!" She told him, tears streaming down her face.

"You did not kill her, I am sorry that I made you believe that." Thranduil told her and he truly looked sorry. "But your mother had no other way."

"No other way to what?" She asked.

"Back when you were born, your mother knew that you had a gift, a gift over fire and resurrection, she had the same gifts." He told her. "She and your father wanted to keep your safe; the Orcs would willingly come after you and kill you if they knew." He continued. "Your mother was killed on her way back from Rivendell after taking you there for Elrond to hide you, and your father killed himself, thinking that the pair of you was dead."

By the time he had finished explaining, Phoenix had tears flowing down her cheeks. All of her life she had hated her father, thinking that he had defiled her mother for revenge against her species, and yet he had loved her so much that when she passed, he could not live without her.

"Why did Elrond not tell me?" She asked.

"Because I told him not to, he had to tell you that he had killed your father in order to ensure that you were going to be safe." He told her. "Only now that I feel that I can tell you because you are stronger now and able to defend yourself."

Phoenix looked up at him and then back down to the picture in her hands. "They loved each other?"

"Very much, it was against the species for them to be together, but they eloped, married in secret and when your mother found out that she was pregnant with you, she came here to tell me." He told her. "She was so excited, she glowed." He seemed to smile faintly at the memory. "She gave birth to you here, in the room that you're staying in because that was her bedroom; your father lived her with you and her."

Phoenix looked at the picture and she recognised the setting as the one of the room that Legolas had shown her to for her stay.

"Keep the picture, it was meant for you, as was the necklace that Thorin kept." Thranduil told her. "I told him to give it to you."

"He did." She nodded. "It was my mother's?" At Thranduil's nod she gave him a soft smile. "Thank you for this Thranduil."

He nodded and he watched her leave, wiping her tears from her eyes.

The next day, whilst Phoenix and Sigrid sat through the trading agreement meeting with Thranduil, Tauriel was walking through the Greenwood to her old home and she found her mother fixing some flowers outside of it.

"Emel." Tauriel spoke softly, and the woman looked up, in truth, she was an older version of Tauriel.

"Tauriel." The woman spoke, looking back at her.

"Thranduil equë han tye meran men an pedo?" Tauriel asked.

"Inyë care innas an pedo an tye." Her mother told her. "Tolo ne."

Tauriel followed her mother inside and she looked around her childhood home, nothing had changed and she looked around as her mother led her to the sitting room where her father was stood.

"Nín mîl, min iell ná sí." Her mother spoke and the man turned around, looking at Tauriel and Tauriel almost shied away as she saw a rather negative look in his eyes.

"Ada." Tauriel spoke softly, bowing her head in respect to her father.

"Emmë innas an carfa os tya hadhod." Her father spoke, his voice sharp with hate and Tauriel knew that he hated the thought of his daughter being with a dwarf.

"Man os Kili?" Tauriel asked.

"Ed ná ú a mára climë an tye." Her father told her. "E pol aned tye munta."

This seemed to have Tauriel's blood boiling, Kili has given her the world already and they had not been dating for long and he was going to be her husband. Reaching into her pocket where she had put her ring for safe keeping, she pulled it out and this time her father suddenly exploded with rage as she put the ring on her finger where it belonged.

"I will not allow it!" He suddenly shouted.

"You cannot tell me what to do." Tauriel told him, she was specifically calm right then. "Father, Kili loves me and I him." She told him. "He even made a ring of silver to show me his love." She looked at her ring and then to her father. "Can you not be happy for me?"

"He is beneath you!" Her father sneered and it almost made Tauriel laugh, Kili was a prince, whilst Tauriel herself was a commoner.

"Father, if you cannot accept that I am in love with someone who truly loves me, then I have no business being here." Tauriel told him, her face the perfect poker face and she turned on her heel to leave the house, turning his back on everything she had known once and for all.

She walked around her old home for a while, ignoring everything and everyone and she lost track of time. Until someone grabbed her arm and she found Sigrid behind her and Tauriel then realised that it was late in the evening.

"Tauriel, Phoenix is looking for you." She told her. "King Thranduil has asked us to join him for dinner."

Tauriel nodded. "Alright, I will be coming." She followed the Princess back to where the banquet hall was and found Thranduil, Legolas and Phoenix sat at the table waiting for them.

"Tauriel, there you are, come and sit." Phoenix told her.

Tauriel sat with them and no one asked her about how her meeting with her parents went, and she was grateful for that, instead she realised that they had noticed her ring.

"I see that the young dwarf prince has decided to make an honest woman of you." Thranduil spoke once everyone was having an after meal drink.

Tauriel looked up at him instantly, but she found no hatred in his eyes, unlike what had been in her father's.

"Yes, he proposed one night whilst we were out for a ride." Tauriel told him.

"I can assume that the ring is silver." Thranduil told her and she nodded.

"It is." She confirmed and Thranduil nodded his approval.

"Well then, Legolas and I shall look forward to receiving an invitation, I assume that it will be in the mountain." Thranduil told her.

"We have not really discussed it yet, but I suppose it will be." Tauriel told him.

"And what of you Phoenix?" He asked and Phoenix looked at him.

"What about me Uncle?" She asked and everyone noticed how willing she was to use such a word with a man that she had confessed to hate.

"Has the dwarf king not asked for your hand yet?" Thranduil asked.

"I assume that he is waiting until he sees Lord Elrond, to ask his permission, but I am sure that he will ask for yours as well." Phoenix told him.

"Well, believe me, he shall receive it." Thranduil told her.

Phoenix nodded with a soft smile. The rest of the night was spent in light chatter, before they all excused themselves to go to their rooms for the night.

The next morning, Tauriel, Phoenix and Sigrid all left Mirkwood early; having an escort through the forest by Legolas himself and when they got to the borders Phoenix and him shared a hug.

"Do not stay away too long cousin." Legolas told her.

"I shall not, but you must come and visit us as well, Lord Elrond is bringing his sons and daughters to the mountain in a few weeks for a visit, you should join them." She told him.

"I will see to it." He nodded, before he bid them farewell and the three of them rode off back towards Dale and Erebor. They stopped once to get some sleep; before they awoke at sunrise and they reached Dale not long before the sun began to set. After ensuring that Sigrid was safely home, Tauriel and Phoenix rode on towards Erebor.

"What's on your mind?" Phoenix asked, since they were alone she felt it would be appropriate to ask Tauriel why she looked so down. "Did something happen with your parents, are they alright?"

"They are fine...They wanted to ban me from seeing Kili." Tauriel told her. "They do not approve."

Phoenix looked at her and she sighed in sadness, she knew that Tauriel had been almost desperate for her parent's approval, and it must be soul destroying to know that she did not have it. "It's their loss, anyway, we live forever, they cannot be unhappy with it for that long."

Tauriel nodded. "You are right."

They reached the mountain just as the sun set fully and they rode into the stables, where they were met by Baztia and Fala.

"My lady, how was your trip?" Baztia asked as they helped Phoenix to settle Carnahan and Phoenix put her saddle bags on the floor before she brushed Carnahan and his saddle down.

"It was successful Baztia." Phoenix spoke as she took off her travelling cloak, revealing her usual attire underneath, but this waistcoat still had a hood on it.

"That is a new waistcoat my lady." Fala witnessed.

"Yes, it was a gift from my cousin." She told her as she picked up her bags and waited for Tauriel. "Tauriel was given the same gift of clothing, only hers was a new breast plate to go under her green tunic."

Fala and Baztia looked over at Tauriel who was silent as they walked and Phoenix looked at Fala. "Fala, can you go on ahead and draw me a hot bath and then draw one for Tauriel?" She asked.

Fala nodded. "Of course my lady." She curtsied and left them both with Baztia.

Phoenix then looked at Baztia. "Baztia, can you go and let Thorin and Kili know that we have returned?"

"Of course my lady, once you are both in your chambers." Baztia nodded.

Phoenix nodded and they stopped at Tauriel's chambers. "Keep your chin up, they won't stay this way forever."

"I hope not." She told her softly, before she bowed her head in goodbye and she walked into her chambers, closing the door behind her.

Once Phoenix was in her chambers, she sent Baztia away to do as she asked, before she undressed and slid herself into the hot bath that Fala had drawn and then she was left alone to relax.

Meanwhile, Kili had excused himself from the meeting that Baztia had found him and Thorin in and he walked into Tauriel's chambers to find her in the bath soaking in the water as tears fell from her eyes.

"My love, what happened?" He asked, sitting on the edge of the stone bath that she was in, brushing some tears from her face.

"My parents do not approve." She told him and then went on to tell him what had happened.

By the time she had finished her explanation, Kili had pulled her into his arms. "They will come around." He told her. "Now come on, get out before you catch your death and we will cuddle on the bed."

Tauriel nodded slightly and she got up, taking the towel that Kili held out to her and she wrapped it around herself, before they both left the bathroom and Kili waited by her bed as she walked to stand behind her changing screen and change into her night time attire. When she was changed, he also changed so he was only in his pants and he slid under the blanket with her and he held his arms out to her, smiling softly as she slid over in the bed to join him.

"I love you." He told her.

"I love you too." She told him. "Nothing they said changed the way I feel about you."

"Good." He kissed the top of her head. "Now sleep my love, you have had a busy day with travelling, tomorrow it will all be alright."

Tauriel nodded and she let tiredness over take her and soon she was asleep against her fiancé, feeling safe in his embrace.

 **Translations**

Emel : mother

Thranduil equë han tye meran men an pedo? : Thranduil said that you wish for us to speak?

Inyë care innas an pedo an tye : I do wish to speak to you

Tolo ne : Come in

Nín mîl, min iell ná sí : My love, our daughter is here

Ada : Dad/Daddy

Emmë innas an carfa os tya hadhod : We wish to talk about your dwarf

Man os Kili? : What about Kili?

Ed ná ú a mára clime an tye : It is not the correct choice for you

E pol aned tye munta : He can give you nothing


	32. Chapter 32

New family

Tauriel woke up not long into the night and she looked over at the sleeping dark haired dwarf at her side and she felt herself smile. No one knew that he made frequent visits to her room at night or that they frolicked together nor that they had taken their relationship to that final physical step that only husbands and wives can do, but as Phoenix had told her: 'many only live once' and Kili was on borrowed time already. She was not sure what had woken her, she had heard a voice, a soft quiet voice, and maybe that was what woke her? Maybe it was the sound of the Ravens outside of Erebor? Or talking of the guards out in the hallways? She did not know and she did not mind. She gathered her shawl over her shoulders and made sure her nightgown was secure before she walked from the room, leaving behind a sleeping dwarf and she walked down to the courtyard below her balcony. Looking up she caught sight of the moon, it was as pure as molten silver. And she was so entranced that she did not hear the footsteps behind her.

"Could you not sleep?"

The voice made her jump and she spun round to face the speaker and she relaxed when she found that it was Phoenix.

"Elves do not sleep." Tauriel rebuffed, still holding some slight self importance towards Phoenix, despite their reclaimed friendship.

"You do." Phoenix's voice was so straight forward and monotone that it was hard for Tauriel to work out if she had hurt the half elf's feelings.

Tauriel was about to say something when she realised that Phoenix had been right, elves do not sleep but she had started to. Either she was becoming ill or something else was happening. Looking to the floor, Tauriel started to murmur something to her softly.

"I am surprised that you cannot see it." She told her.

Tauriel opened her eyes immediately and stared at her in a way that resembled a deer staring at a hunter.

"What?" Phoenix asked.

"What do you mean?" Tauriel demanded.

Phoenix looked at her and Tauriel saw the look of steel in her eyes, somehow Phoenix never changed her expressionless and emotionless face.

"What I mean..." She started. "Is that you look better, like there is a glow around you and not just the usual elvish glow."

Tauriel looked at her, determined to hear more. "What else have you noticed?"

"You're eating more." Phoenix listed. "You're sleeping more; you look to have gained a bit of weight."

At the comment of weight, Tauriel looked down at her stomach and what she saw made her freeze. It was bigger! Not that much bigger but to the eye of an elf there was a definite definition of weight gain. The strange thing was that Tauriel had not felt any different, she did not feel heavier, yes she was more tired but that was normal with hers and Phoenix training, was it not? It was playing on her mind up until she felt strong arms encircle her waist and the weight of something against her back.

"Good morning, Kili." Phoenix greeted.

"Good morning, Auntie." He jeered at the smaller elf that looked ready to either hit him or murder him, Tauriel had not quite worked out all of Phoenix's expressions yet.

"Kili I am nothing more than Thorin's lover, I can be nothing more." She told him.

Kili rolled his eyes. "Make sure you don't say that around my uncle, he will happily prove you wrong."

Tauriel watched as Phoenix simply rolled her eyes, and Tauriel wondered if Phoenix had any ideas of how much Thorin loved her.

"Actually I was sent out here by Balin to ask if either of you wanted to join us for breakfast."

"I think that would be nice." Tauriel told him whilst Phoenix did not say anything at all.

But this time Kili did not pay her silence much attention and he slid his hand into Tauriel's and he led them out of the courtyard and to their room so Tauriel could change. From there, he led the group to the large feasting hall where they already found everybody else eating.

"Ah there you three are." Balin smiled. "Come, join us."

Kili happily led Tauriel over to the table and pulled out a chair for her and pushed her in to the table before sitting beside her. Meanwhile Phoenix sat opposite Fili who had seated himself on one side of Thorin's chair that had so far remained empty.

"Where's Thorin?" Phoenix asked him.

"He was just sorting some things out with mother and Dain." Fili told her.

Phoenix simply nodded and she started to eat some food that Balin had put in front of her, not saying much as everyone talked around her, but she was watching Tauriel carefully.

Tauriel seemed oblivious to everything that was going on around her but no one apart from Phoenix seemed to notice her behaviour, well she thought they did not.

"Tauriel are you alright?" Kili asked, sliding his hand over hers.

Tauriel jumped as she felt his touch and she looked at him. "Hmm?"

"Are you alright?" Kili repeated.

"I am well." She told him. "I promise."

Kili did not seem fully convinced but he did not get a chance to say anything before there was an announcement.

"All hail King Thorin, Lady Dis and Lord Dain."

At the names the room all got to their feet their heads bowed in respect as Dain and Dis took their seats whilst Thorin walked over to Phoenix's side and he used a hand to turn her head to look at him.

"You hadn't remained in bed this morning." He told her, ignoring the stares of the dwarves at the table.

"My apologies, I could not sleep, so I went for a walk and ended up finding Tauriel so I stayed up." She told him.

Thorin kissed her cheek. "Next time I wished that you would wake me if you couldn't sleep." He told her as they sat down. "What was stopping you from sleep?" He asked.

Phoenix simply shrugged. "I was not sure, I just could not sleep."

Thorin nodded. "Next time please let me know if you're leaving."

"I will." She told him, gently kissing his hand that had slid to cover hers on the table.

Thorin smiled softly at her, kissing the palm of her hand in return and then the two of them went back to eating.

Meanwhile a bit further down the table, Kili was sat next to Tauriel and he was silently amazed as he watched her finish off a second plate of food that had a lot more meat than her usual elvish diet. He was on his third helping himself, but this caused him to wonder. It was normal for a dwarf to eat like this, but not an elf, could his woodland warrior be turning into a dwarf? He hoped not, after all he did not think that Tauriel would suit a beard. He was watching her with such a fondness that he did not realise that she had noticed.

"What is it?" She asked him.

"Nothing." He told her after he had snapped out of his trance. "It's just nice to see my lady having a big meal."

Tauriel went quite and gained a soft tinge of red to her pale cheeks. "Forgive me if it has displeased you."

"Tauriel, it is fine." Kili told her with a soft smile, one of his hands resting on hers.

"Typical elf." One of the Dwarrowdams, who Tauriel realised, was Gloin's wife, tutted.

"Mind your own." Kili told her instantly.

"Kili..." Tauriel hissed trying to calm him down.

"I'm just saying Kili, you can do better." She told him. "After all, what can she offer a prince? She is nothing but a whore, a good for nothing thieving whore."

The whole room had gone quiet by now and they found that Kili was on his feet, his face furious, the dwarrowdam was staring at him with a sour look but it occasionally flicked to Tauriel, but neither she nor Kili were going to back down this time.

"I think I should go." Tauriel told them as she got to her feet and before Kili could catch her she had left from the room.

"What on earth is going on?" Thorin's voice sounded in the silence and he looked between his nephew and the dwarrowdam.

"Nothing, my King." The dwarrowdam spoke in such an innocent voice that it made Kili sick to his stomach and he was just about to explode and tear the dwarrowdam a new one when his uncle's voice sounded again.

"I wish for yourself and Kili to stay after breakfast." He told them and Kili had no choice but to agree. After breakfast everyone else left until it was only Thorin, Fili, Kili, the dwarrowdam and Phoenix left in the room.

"He asked for people to leave." The dwarrowdam spoke pointedly to Phoenix.

"I have asked her to stay." Thorin snarled his temper rising but Kili watched as Phoenix rested a hand on his arm and Thorin seemed to calm down immediately. Kili silently praised Phoenix's ability to hold his uncles more nastier emotions at bay.

"Now," Thorin started. "What seems to be the problem?"

"Forgive me uncle; I was merely defending my lover's honour." Kili told him.

"Why would you have to do that?" He asked looking pointedly at the dwarrowdam in question.

Everyone looked at the woman in question before she looked at Thorin with innocence in her eyes.

"I merely told the young prince what everyone was thinking." She told him.

"And do tell what is everyone thinking?" Thorin asked and Kili and Fili shivered at the look in their uncle's eye. He was more than furious at the thought that the woman could get away with what she had done.

"It is the same as what people are saying about her." She looked pointedly at Phoenix as she spoke and the princes noticed that the points of Phoenix's ears gained a soft red tinge to their colouring indicating her anger.

"I want to hear you say it." Thorin told her and the woman suddenly started to waver. "Go on, or could it be that you are too scared to speak to your King the way that you feel is acceptable to speak to a crowned prince?" He suddenly thundered that even made Phoenix jump.

"That she is a...a..." The dwarrowdam started.

"A what?" Thorin thundered.

"A thieving whore." She admitted.

"Thorin may I be excused?" Phoenix suddenly asked.

Thorin looked at her and he saw the hatred that she held for the dwarrowdam in front of her at the offence the words would have called to Tauriel and he nodded. At the permission, Phoenix pushed herself away from the table and she stood, bowing to the King and the princes before she walked out of the door slamming the door behind her and she walked straight into a crowd of dwarves.

"Don't you all have something to do?" Phoenix asked them as she stalked past walking towards Tauriel's chambers. When she reached them, she knocked on the door but waited as she heard sniffling.

"Who is it?"

The voice sounded like Tauriel but it sounded thick with sadness, which was not supposed to be possible.

"It's me." She told her.

"Oh...Come in." She told her and Phoenix walked into the room to find Tauriel sitting on her bed wiping tear stained eyes with no doubt an even more tear stained sleeve.

"Come on." Phoenix told her.

"What?" Tauriel asked looking up in surprise.

"We are going down to Dale." Phoenix told her not leaving her any room to argue this time and she grabbed Tauriel's travelling cloak and threw it to her.

As the two left, they quickly stopped at Phoenix's room so that she could get her rangers cloak and they both made their way down towards the stables where they got caught by Fili and Kili.

"Where are you two off to?" Fili asked as Kili slid his hand into Tauriel's.

"We are going down to Dale, they have a market on and I thought that Tauriel could do with some cheering up." Phoenix told them as she saddled Carnahan.

"Will you allow us to come with you?" Kili asked.

"Later." Phoenix told them. "Let us have some bonding time together first."

Fili and Kili looked between the two woman and then they looked to each other before Fili was first to repent.

"Alright we will meet you there at lunch." Fili told them and he allowed his brother to kiss Tauriel's cheek before he started to drag him away and out of the stables, allowing the girls to finish getting ready and soon they were riding across the planes going towards Dale. They rode in silence for a while until Tauriel spoke.

"How do you do it?" She asked.

"How do I do what?" Phoenix countered, looking at her.

"How do you pretend that nothing has happened when they say such things?" She asked.

"It's not easy, but Tauriel I've had this behaviour thrown at me for over two thousand years." Phoenix told her. "It's not easy to ignore and it's not easy to forgive those who say the things that they do, but in some cases you are able to live with it."

Tauriel looked at her and she seemed sceptical, but she figured that Phoenix was right; after all she lived with persecution and prejudice every day of her life, did she not? From there the pair rode on in silence, Tauriel having a lot to think about.

Meanwhile, back in Erebor, Fili and Kili were sat in the library of Erebor, Fili was reading up on his princely duties whilst Kili was reading an elvish book.

"You're really taking your elvish lessons seriously then?" Fili asked.

Kili looked up at him. "Aye, I want to know every word that Tauriel speaks to me."

"So you know when she's telling you to fuck off?" Fili asked.

"No, more like when she's telling me to fuck her." Kili told him and had to duck when his brother threw his book at him. "I'm serious, Tauriel talks a lot of Elvish during our love making sessions."

"So does that mean that we could be expecting a little mini Kili sometime soon?" Fili joked.

"Do not joke about something like that." Kili told him. "Anyway hopefully not for a long while, we are being careful."

"Yeah, sure." Fili rolled his eyes.

"We are." Kili told him.

"You are what Kili?"

Both of the princes were suddenly on their feet and they were staring at the speaker - their mother Dis!

"Learning, new languages." Kili told her, getting up to show her the book that he had been reading.

"Why on earth would you want to learn Elvish?" She asked him throwing the book he had shown her onto a far away table.

"So that he...He can help me with the trades." Fili told her. "After all if I become king I'm going to need some help to do everything."

Dis seemed to be pacified at the quick thinking of the brothers, but something about her seemed off.

"Are you alright mum?" Kili asked.

"Aye lad," She nodded. "I've just been in talks with Dain."

"What were you talking about?" Fili asked.

"Just about the possibility of Dain bringing some of his dwarrowdams here from the Iron Hills," Dis told them.

"Oh...Why?" Kili asked.

"Well as brides for you three." Dis told them and it caused both of the princes to go cold.

"Us three?" Fili asked.

"Yes a bride each for you two and one for your uncle." Dis told them. "Do you really think I would let you marry that elf whore, Kili?" She asked. "As princes of Erebor, you need a suitable match and Thorin needs a worthy queen, not whatever the fuck Phoenix is." She either chose to ignore or did not see the looks of deflation that her sons gave her as she excused herself and left the room. Looking at each other, the princes ran off to get to their rams. If what their mother said was true, then they needed to be as far away from Erebor as their conscience would allow.

Back in Dale, Tauriel and Phoenix were walking around the town market, being greeted by everyone, feeling the softest new fabrics, being given samples of different spices and wines. Overall they were having a great time, and soon something sparked their interest. It was a stall that seemed to be selling old myth medicines.

"Ah good morning Lady Phoenix and good morning Lady Tauriel," She spoke, smiling.

"Good morning miss." Phoenix bowed her head.

"Good morning." Tauriel smiled slightly.

"I have this little elixir that I would like you to try." She told them. "If you wouldn't mind."

"What is it?" Phoenix asked.

"It's called Milk of New Life." She told them. "It is meant to react with the body of the woman is pregnant."

Phoenix and Tauriel looked at each other, before Phoenix gave her fellow elf a shrug of her shoulders. "Well we haven't exactly got anything to lose." Phoenix told her.

"Well, you have a point." Tauriel told her.

The woman handed them both a small cup of the liquid and looking at each other Tauriel and Phoenix smiled.

"Bottoms up." Phoenix told her and both she and Tauriel took a sip at the same time and they looked at each other.

"That actually tastes quite sweet." Phoenix told the woman as she took another sip.

The woman nodded and she looked at Tauriel.

"Tauriel are you okay, my lady?" She asked.

Everyone looked at Tauriel and suddenly they found that she had almost turned green and the woman quickly handed her a basin and Tauriel was suddenly sick into it.

"Are you okay?" Phoenix asked as she held Tauriel's hair out of the way.

She nodded as the woman spoke again.

"Lady Tauriel I think you need to visit the healer." The lady told her. "Because I think that you may be pregnant."

Tauriel looked at her and she went pale before Phoenix grabbed her just as she collapsed in almost shock.

The woman helped to carry the elf maiden into her house and they sat her on a chair.

"Tauriel breathe." Phoenix told her.

"What am I going to do?" She asked.

"Well for a start, you're not going to panic." Phoenix told her. "And you're going to tell Kili."

"This cannot be happening." Tauriel whispered. "There is no way that we can look after a child, not with everything as it is."

"Tauriel shut up." Phoenix told her. "You can look after a child now; this is where you don't care about what anyone else says."

Tauriel looked at her. "But how am I going to be able to look after a child?" She asked.

"You have Fili, Kili, Thorin and I to help you with the child, you are not alone in this Tauriel." Phoenix told her and she nodded in silence.

"Where is the prince?" The lady asked.

"Both of the princes should be here soon." Phoenix told her.

"Would you like me to wait outside and direct them here?" She asked.

"Please." Tauriel nodded.

"Alright, feel free to stay here for the time being." The woman told them.

Both of the women nodded and the woman went back to her stall keeping an eye out for the princes as she went back to work. However after a few minutes, Phoenix left Tauriel's side and she went out into the village to find the healer and it left a still dazed Tauriel alone, so Phoenix was trying to be as fast as possible. However, whilst she was alone, Tauriel heard footsteps coming towards her and she looked around for the source. It did not sound like the woman from the stall, and they were too heavy to come from Phoenix, so she looked around for something to defend herself with but found nothing except her bow since she had originally decided to come for the things to make her arrows. Suddenly she felt someone grab hold of her hair and yank her backwards. As she was pulled backwards, Tauriel grabbed her bow and threw it backwards hitting the figure repeatedly.

"What do you think you're doin'" the figure asked and Tauriel recognised it to be Alfred.

"How dare you grab me?" Tauriel sneered.

"I do as I please." He told her a hideous smug look on his face. "Now if I were you I'd leave, before my knife cuts that thing out of your belly." He warned.

"Do that and you will be nailed to the wall," Phoenix told him and they looked behind to find Phoenix stood there with the town healer aiming an arrow at Alfred's head. "And I do not miss." She told him.

"You can try outcast, but just remember that thing she carries won't survive and neither will any you have." He sneered before he was gone and the healer helped Tauriel to lie back as he checked her over.

"Are you alright?" Phoenix asked her.

Tauriel nodded."I am."

Not long after the healer had left did Phoenix and Tauriel decide to carry on walking through the market and they bid the woman thanks and then returned to the market. They walked in silence until they came to a well and they sat against it on the ground.

"It's nice isn't it?" Phoenix asked.

"What is?" Tauriel looked at her and found her eyes to be closed.

"The feeling of the sun."

Tauriel smiled and she moved into the same position as Phoenix. "It is." She agreed. "Do you miss your valley?" Tauriel asked.

"Sometimes," Phoenix admitted, "but I like being here, I'm closer to the children, and I knew the valley wasn't a permanent thing."

"Will it still be there?" She asked.

"It will." She nodded. "Like me, the valley itself is a constant and someday I will return to it, when Thorin has aged and can no longer live on this earth."

"Would you go back with him and live out his final days there?" Tauriel asked.

Phoenix shrugged. "Maybe, if he wanted to go." She told her, looking over at her. "But we have plenty of time to discuss matters such as that."

"Yes, I suppose you're right." Tauriel smiled.

"Tauriel! Phoenix!"

At their names, both of the women opened their eyes and they found the dwarf princes running towards them with Princess Sigrid following. And at seeing the look of shame and disaster on their faces, both Phoenix and Tauriel got to their feet immediately.

"What is it?" Phoenix asked.

"There's something we really need to tell you three." Fili told them as he fought to get his breath back and Sigrid stood over him, the protective lover as always, though no one but the group before them knew what was really going on between the prince and princess. Phoenix and Tauriel looked between them all and then at each other and Tauriel gained her look of worry on her face once more, which had Phoenix putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Kili and Fili, both of you need to tell us what is going on." She told them.

Kili and Fili looked at each other before Fili took a deep breath and he told them what had happened. "Dain is bringing dwarrowdams to Erebor."

"That doesn't seem like a bad thing." Sigrid told them.

"It is when mother intends for them to be wives for Kili, Thorin and I." Fili told her and he saw the happiness that had been surrounding the three women merely seconds ago, fade in an instant and be replaced with dark sadness.

"Our mother is insane; dwarves do not under any circumstances arrange marriages unless it is absolutely necessary." Kili told them after Fili had finished telling them their predicament, and Tauriel, Phoenix and Sigrid had sat themselves on the wall of the well that Phoenix and Tauriel had come to.

"She and Dain are getting desperate." Phoenix commented.

"But they wouldn't arrange something like that for Fili, right? I mean no one really knows about us besides you three, right?" Sigrid asked, suddenly worried as she looked up at her prince.

Fili saw the looks of distress in her eyes and he was quick to comfort her, running a hand down her cheek.

"Hey now, no matter what, my heart will belong to you." Fili promised her.

Sigrid nodded and Fili pulled her into a hug, which she gladly accepted. Phoenix, Tauriel and Kili looked between the two before they looked at each other.

"Kili, Tauriel has something that she needs to tell you." Phoenix spoke.

"What is it?" Kili asked as he looked over at Tauriel who had now gone white as a sheet and as stiff as stone. "Tauriel?"

Tauriel looked at him with wide eyes. "Kili...I...I..." Tauriel could not finish the sentence, so Phoenix looked at her.

"Take a deep breath." She told her. "This is not a bad thing, Tauriel."

"Can someone tell me what is going on?" Kili asked and that was when Sigrid and Fili looked over as well.

Tauriel seemed to gather some resolve from Phoenix's words and for a few seconds her Captain of the Guard bravado was back. "Kili, you're going to be a father."

Kili seemed frozen in place and Fili walked over to him and gently touched his shoulder. At the touch, Kili collapsed on the floor in a faint.

"Well, he took it well." Phoenix commented and everyone looked at her. "What?"

"Kili just fainted...Kili never faints..." Fili started. "He is definitely not going to live this down."

Phoenix pulled a water skin from her belt and she shook it, making sure there was still water in it and she tipped it over Kili's face, and he was suddenly spluttering awake.

"What happened?" He got out as he sat up and wiped water from his face.

"Tauriel told you she was pregnant and you fainted." Sigrid told him.

"If you faint again, I will kick you in the ribs." Phoenix warned and Kili pushed himself to his feet with help from his brother and he looked at Tauriel who had not moved from where she had been sitting on the edge of the well.

"Really?" He asked her.

Tauriel nodded. "I assure you, I would not lie about something like this." She told him. "The healer checked me over to confirm it."

Kili walked over to her and he put either of his hands on each side of her face and he pulled her into him, kissing her deeply. Phoenix, Fili and Sigrid all adverted their eyes as the couple shared this tender moment together and Phoenix looked at them.

"We should get back to Erebor, who knows what Thorin will do about this." Phoenix told them.

"Aye, we should." Fili agreed, but he then glanced to Tauriel and Kili. "Best wait a few minutes."

"Agreed." She nodded.

Eventually the two broke apart and Kili looked at her, his eyes holding nothing but love and affection as he rested a hand on Tauriel's still flat stomach.

"I can't believe it." He whispered. "I'm going to be a father..." He whispered.

"We know." Phoenix and Fili told him.

"Come on, now we do need to get back." Phoenix told him.

"I've got to get back to da' as well." Sigrid told them and her kissed Fili's cheek. "Be careful."

"I will." He promised and he kissed her quickly before the group ran back to find their rams and horses and soon they were all off, riding back to Erebor.

When they reached Erebor, they found that Dain was waiting in the stables for them and they all looked at each other.

"Dain, what are you doing here?" Fili asked.

"I've been asked to retrieve the two princes." Dain told them.

Fili and Kili looked at each other, before they looked back at Tauriel and Phoenix who seemed even more confused as they did.

"We'll see you at the dinner." Phoenix told them and the princes nodded, sorting their rams, before they followed Dain into Erebor.

By the time Phoenix and Tauriel were finished putting away their riding equipment, brushed down the horses and the saddles and brushed off their clothes, it was late and as they left the stables, they were suddenly cornered by Dwalin.

"There you two are, you had better come quickly." Dwalin told them.

"Dwalin, what's happened?" Phoenix asked.

"Just hurry up." He told them and they followed him as he led them down to the banquet hall.

When they got in there, they found Thorin sat in the throne, Fili and Kili either side of him and the three of them looked annoyed to the point of almost exploding as they watched the spectacle in front of them. Dain was stood next to Fili as he watched Dis walked backwards and forwards in front of three dwarrowdams who stood in a line of the three royalties, and Dis was obviously trying to play match maker. However, the three by the throne took interest as Kili clapped eyes on Phoenix and Tauriel and soon Fili and Thorin did too.

"Finally, some interest." Dain muttered.

"Not for this folly." Dwalin told them as he pushed through the crowd and everyone watched as Phoenix and Tauriel were pushed forward by the other dwarves and Kili suddenly had an idea and this time, he did not care how much trouble he got in.

He glanced at his uncle and Thorin nodded to his nephew who seemed to take a deep breath to steady his nerves and he started to walk down towards Tauriel.

"I've made my choice." Kili shouted to the crowd as he walked, his pace was slow and calculated.

"Have you now?" Dis asked.

"Yes mother, I have." Kili told him. "And I choose Tauriel."

Everyone looked at Kili as he slid his arms around Tauriel, and no one but Dis noticed how his hand rested on her stomach and Dis realised what it meant.

"No!" She screeched. "I forbid you to choose her."

"Mother, it's not your choice." Kili told her. "Tauriel and I are happy together, we are engaged to be married, and we are expecting a baby."

Everyone in the hall was suddenly silent as Tauriel looked at him. "Kili, you should not have said that."

"No, I don't care; this isn't anything to be ashamed about." Kili told her, turning her to face him. "It is a joyous thing, our child is growing inside you right now, we have a right to be happy and show people that we are in l-"He was cut off suddenly by Thorin.

"Dis, no!" Thorin shouted and Kili and Tauriel looked just in time to see Phoenix's sword collide with the one that Dis had hold of as she was about to strike Tauriel from behind with it.

"Back away Dis." Phoenix told her as she moved to stand between Tauriel and Kili and the sword, and Kili pushed Tauriel behind him as Tauriel rested her hand over her stomach.

"Run her through Dis!" Dain shouted.

"Move." Dis sneered.

"You'll have to kill me first." Phoenix warned her. "And I don't think your brother will forgive you if you do." She quickly glanced at Thorin who had a hand on his own sword, ready, before she quickly glanced back to Dis.

"Then so be it." Dis told she and she took a swipe at Phoenix, but she blocked it with her sword, and this went on for a while.

"Alright Halfbreed, I ask you for a challenge." Dis told her, loud enough for the whole hall to hear

"I accept." Phoenix told her and everyone looked at her.

"What?!" Kili shouted.

"Phoenix, think about this." Thorin pleaded.

"Name the challenge." Phoenix told the dwarrowdam who had locked swords with her.

"I challenge you to a duel of skill by blade; the winner is the only one standing and ready to continue." Dis sneered, both women sounding like they had not heard Kili or Thorin.

"If I win, you are to never lay a finger on Tauriel or the child with the intent to harm, ever." Phoenix told her.

"As you wish, but if I win, you and that whore are to leave Erebor permanently." Dis told her and everyone looked at Thorin and then Phoenix and then Kili and Tauriel.

"Fine." Phoenix told Dis and they broke apart for a few minutes to prepare for battle, Phoenix taking off her sword belt and throwing it to the ground at Thorin's feet and she took off her leather wrist and arm braces and her leather gloves.

Thorin looked at his lover like she was mad, and he watched her pull her hair into a quick and messy braid before she looked at him.

"Speak your mind." She told him.

"You don't have to do this." Thorin told her.

"I do." She told him, kissing his cheek, before she picked up one of her swords and she walked over to the space that had been cleared, Kili and Tauriel sitting on the floor by Thorin's throne to watch, Kili keeping his arms around Tauriel.

"Rules are that we fight alone, no one else is to take part." Phoenix told her.

"I don't need anyone else to beat the stuffing out of you, little girl." Dis told her.

"Talk is cheap." Phoenix told her and the other dwarves moved back to give them a large space, and both women got into a stance, when suddenly Dis charged at Phoenix, swinging her sword, aiming for Phoenix's left arm, but Phoenix blocked it easily. As they broke apart again, the pair started to circle each other, and every time Dis went to strike her with her sword, Phoenix blocked it with her own sword. This continued as the pair circled each other, before they heard Dain shout out.

"Finish her!" He shouted and this time Phoenix got there first, her swordplay was fast and lethal and she hit Dis' sword so hard and fast that the dwarrowdam did not know what to do and suddenly the sword was out of her hands and sliding along the floor and Phoenix's own sword was pointed at her throat reading to deliver the final kill.

"You aren't worth the pain that I could cause your brother if I hurt you." Phoenix told her simply, before she walked over to where she put her swords and she put the sword that she was holding into its holster on her belt and she slid the belt on, fastening it around her hips.

"Mother, don't!" Fili shouted and Phoenix turned around quick enough to shield herself from a knife that was about to hit her and she let out a cry of pain as the knife went into her hand. As Dis was pushed away by Thorin, Fili and Kili, Tauriel ran to Phoenix who pulled the knife from her hand and she was pressing the wounded hand between her thigh and her other hand to stem the bleeding.

"Oin, get over here!" Fili shouted and they all moved aside as the dwarf healer ran over and started to tend to Phoenix's wound.

Thorin looked at his sister as Phoenix was being treated by Oin and he seemed to be furious this time.

"This has gone far enough Dis." Thorin told her.

"She agreed to the challenge Thorin." Dis argued.

"And she won; you could have caused her serious damage." Thorin snarled and Dis backed down as she saw her brother's temper.

However, before Thorin could do anything else, there was a bandaged hand lying on his chest and Thorin immediately calmed down as he looked to Phoenix who stood beside him.

"Avá." Phoenix told him.

"Avá caro man?" Thorin asked her and she could tell that he was still angry.

"Avá caro ma han tye innas tuv gordh na laithra." She told him softly.

"Man he carima innas ú no laithra, ath." Thorin warned her.

"Inyë ista, ach he ië tya neth." Phoenix reminded him and Thorin looked back to Dis who had shrunk back from him and he walked back to his throne. When he got to his throne, he looked back at Phoenix and called her to him and Phoenix took one last looked at Dis before she walked over to her king.

"We will have a feast tonight to celebrate the start of my youngest nephew's trip to fatherhood, now all of you, leave us; I wish to talk to my lover alone." Thorin snapped and everyone left, even Fili who looked at Phoenix and gave her a soft smile of comfort.

When they were alone, Phoenix looked at him as he sat in his throne and she noticed a look in his eyes. It was crazed with anger and loathing and she did not want to see her king burdened with such emotions.

"Stop it." She told him.

"Stop what?" He asked, not looking at her, but to the sword in his belt until Phoenix used her hands to physically move his head up to look at her.

"Don't think as you are now." She told him, standing before him and having her look at him.

"And how am I thinking now?" He asked, looking up to meet her eye.

"You are thinking of ways in which you can harm your sister." She told him. "I can read you like a book."

"She could have killed you." Thorin told her.

"And if she did, she would have killed her sons and you too." Phoenix told him.

"How so?" He asked.

Phoenix looked at him and it occurred to her that she had never told him how her resurrection worked.

"Well, the way my resurrection works is that you live as long as I live, and as I live a long life, much longer than a dwarf or an elf, so do you." She told him.

"Why didn't you tell me this sooner?" He asked.

She shrugged. "It wasn't relevant." She told him. "All that matters is that you're alive."

Thorin looked at her. "Didn't you think that I needed to know?" He asked.

"Not really." She told him. "Not even your father knows, because none of you asked for the repercussions."

Thorin looked at her and he sighed, getting to his feet and walking away, out of the hall, leaving Phoenix on her own and she looked around, before she let out a soft whistle and almost as soon as she had, there was the sound of footprints and Uldoniair walked to her side.

"I've missed you." She told the wolf absently.

Uldoniair looked up at her and she rubbed her head against her side, showing that she had missed her mistress too.

"Come on, let us leave the kingdom and do some hunting." She told her and the wolf nodded, before she followed Phoenix as she walked to her room. Uldoniair waited outside as Phoenix walked into her room and she came back out wearing her ranger cloak and bow and quiver and she was putting on her riding gloves over her usual leather ones. When she was ready, both Phoenix and Uldoniair walked towards the stables where Phoenix saddled up Carnahan and attached the weapons before she climbed into the saddle, looking back she found Dain to be stood there.

"Well, looks like my cousin has finally gotten rid of you." He told her.

"Get out of my way or I will have my horse trample you." She warned him.

"Oh please, apparently you're too much of a pure heart." He sneered. "Do tell, what did you do that had my cousin finally come to his senses?"

"Nothing that concerns you, now get out of my way." She told him as she pulled on the reigns and Carnahan reared up, almost hitting Dain in the head with his hooves, but the dwarf moved just in time. When he was out of the way and Carnahan's hooves touched the floor, they were off galloping through the nearby mountains. As the horse moved, Phoenix could not help but think about what happened with Thorin. He looked betrayed at the thought that she would keep any form of secret from him, but Phoenix still maintained the fact that he never asked if anything would come of her giving him a second chance at life, so she had stayed quiet. As she was thinking, she did not hear the sounds of twigs snapping around them until it was too late and a warg jumped out in front of them the moment that they were on the edge of a cliff. At seeing the warg, Carnahan reared up but it meant that Phoenix had not been expecting it and she was thrown from the saddle and she ended up falling down the cliff. All she heard was the harsh cries of her horse and the snarls of her dire wolf, before everything went black.

 **Translation**

Avá : Don't

Avá caro man? : Don't do what?

Avá caro ma han tye innas tuv gordh na laithra : Don't do something that you will find difficult to be forgotten

Man he carima innas ú no laithra ath : What she done will not be forgotten easily

Inyë ista, ach he ië tya neth : I know, but she is your sister


	33. Chapter 33

Fear is an awful emotion

Thorin knew that something was wrong; he had not seen any sign of Phoenix since he had left her in the throne room. He did not even understand why he acted in such a way, after all she was right; none of them had asked if there would be anything coming of her giving them a second life and he had blamed her for that. Now he had a terrible feeling that something had happened to her and he did not know what. Thorin asked any dwarf that he passed whether they had seen Phoenix, none of them had, and by the time he found his nephews and Tauriel in the training arena, Thorin was worried.

"Fili, Kili, Tauriel, have any of you seen Phoenix?" He asked them and they saw the worry in his eyes.

"No Uncle, we haven't." Fili told him, walking over. "I am sure that she is fine though."

"She went off for a ride with Uldoniair and Carnahan earlier." Tauriel told him. "Or maybe she has gone down to Dale and either way she could have simply lost track of the time?" She suggested.

"I hope so; if she isn't back soon then I'm riding to Dale." Thorin told him.

"Let Tauriel and I go now." Kili suggested, "We can be back in an hour at the most."

Thorin did not even take any time to deliberate this and he nodded. "Alright, saddle up."

Kili and Tauriel nodded to each other and they made their way to the stables, saddling up, before riding down to Dale.

Whilst they were gone, Fili and Thorin walked another sweep around the castle, each going their separate ways in order to cover more ground, and they met up again outside of Thorin and Phoenix's chambers.

"Anything?" Thorin asked his oldest nephew who sadly shook his head.

"No Uncle, nothing." Fili sighed. "I'm sure that she is okay."

Thorin was not so sure, and he was making certain that he would go and find his love before the night fell.

Meanwhile, at the base of the cliff, in a muddy ravine, Phoenix was lying on her back, one arm at a strange angle, and a large cut on her forehead, along with re-broken ribs. As she opened her eyes, Phoenix was staring up at setting sun and she groaned at the rush of pain that hit her body. Suddenly she heard the soft yelps that could only come from a Dire Wolf, her Dire Wolf, and she craned her neck as far as she could despite the pain and found Uldoniair looking over the edge, trying to get to her.

"Baw Uldoniair!" Phoenix shouted. "Bad ta hir resta, bad ta hir Thorin!"

Uldoniair looked torn at leaving her mistress weak and unprotected, but the mention of the dwarf king brought her hope, if anyone could protect her mistress, it would be him! So, with a heavy heart, Uldoniair started back the way that she had came.

When her wolf was gone, Phoenix started the task of assessing her injuries, making sure that she did it in the way that caused the least pain. Looking at her oddly angled arm, she saw a large rock nearby. Crawling over, she took a deep breath as she raised her arm before she pushed it tight against the rock, a sickening pop sounded as she forced her arm the right way again, and it was accompanied by her scream of pain. When her arm was back into its normal position, she managed to take a knife from her boot and she used it to rip the fabric of her ranger's cloak and she fastened a makeshift sling around her arm, to keep it elevated and she looked around at where she had landed. The mud of the wall was too thick and slick to even attempt to climb anything, and the walls of the cliff itself was steep and difficult for anyone to manoeuvre with only one arm, and Phoenix still did not know what damage had been done to her legs from the fall. However, she did not get a chance to wait and find out as she heard growling and she looked up in time to find a warg looking over the edge of the cliff at her.

"Oh shit." She whispered and as the Warg started looking for a way to get to her, she dragged herself to the ravine wall and she tucked herself into small gap, thankful that at least there was not any pain from moving her legs, but now she did not know what to do. Her weapons were still on Carnahan's saddle, wherever he was, and all she had was her small hunting knife, that was no good against a fully grown warg. She looked up to the darkening sky, silently hoping that someone would find her soon.

Meanwhile, Thorin was pacing his throne room as his father, sister, cousin, oldest nephew, Balin and Dwalin tried to console him.

"Lad, she'll be alright, you know that Phoenix can handle herself." Balin told him.

"Aye, that lass is a tough 'un." Dwalin told him.

"She has never been gone this long." Thorin told him as he paced. "Something has happened, I know it has."

"You're just paranoid cousin, have some mead and you'll be fine." Dain told him and this made Thorin snap as he grabbed the front of Dain's tunic roughly so that they were squaring up to each other.

"Don't you dare say that I'm paranoid," Thorin snarled. "I wouldn't expect you to understand how I feel about her, because feelings are beyond you." He sneered, pushing him away. "But she is my love, my life and my own heart." He told her. "She will be queen one day, and the fact that she is gone is my fault."

"But she lied to you." Dis reminded him. "You said so yourself."

"I overreacted; she kept something from me because I never asked her." Thorin told her, sitting himself down in his throne. "She is amazing at many things, but she cannot read minds."

"What did she keep from you?" Balin asked.

"When Phoenix brought me, my nephews and my father back, she gave us her own life, and because she is half dwarf and half elf, her life force is extended well past the normal life of an elf." Thorin told him. "But we are also tied to her, so we can't die until either she dies, or she kills us herself."

Everyone looked at Thorin, before they looked at the door and they noticed that Kili was stood there.

"Well, that seems like a small price to pay." Kili shrugged. "But Uncle, I have news, Phoenix wasn't at Dale, but Carnahan is in the stables."

"So, she's back, there I told you that you were being paranoid." Dain shouted through the halls.

"Dain shut up." Thrain told him, looking at Kili. "There's more isn't there lad?" He asked.

Kili nodded. "Carnahan is still tacked up for a ride, and Phoenix's weapons are still attached to the saddle, there's no sign of Phoenix, but he is in distress, Tauriel, is trying to find out if something has happened to Phoenix."

"Then we will go down to the stables at once." Thorin told him and the group followed him as he almost ran down to the stables.

When they reached the stables, the dwarves found Tauriel stood in front of Carnahan, the poor horse was bleeding and in pain, but he kept himself on his feet as Tauriel stroked his nose, speaking softly to him, asking him questions.

"Ya ná Phoenix?" She asked him, her forehead pressing to his nose, and when he did not appear to answer, she asked another question. "Ná he nidwa? Gar tye garthant dín vi moina sad?" She asked.

Eventually the horse shook his head and Tauriel asked him the question that Thorin dreaded.

"Ná he vi raxë?" Tauriel asked and Thorin's heart clenched as the horse nodded.

He had been right, Phoenix was in danger and without thinking, and he saddled up his pony and was ready to go before any of the others could fathom what was being said.

"Thorin, where are you going?" Dwalin asked.

"I'm going to find my beloved." He told him as he climbed into his saddle after shedding his kingly robes, choosing to remain as moveable as he could be, and the robes weighed him down.

"I'm coming with you." Thrain told him, pulling his pony over to his son's.

"Me too." Fili told him, saddling up and attaching his weapons to his saddle.

"And me." Kili told them.

"As am I." Tauriel told him and everyone looked at her.

"No you're not." Kili told her instantly.

"Why not?" She asked as she saddled her horse.

"Because you are with child, anything could happen to them and I don't want that to happen." Kili told her.

"Kili, Phoenix is my best friend, if she is in trouble, I want to help, and anyway, the baby and I will be fine." Tauriel told him, kissing his cheek before she climbed onto her horse, just as Bofur and Oin walked into the stables.

"What's going on here lads, and lass?" Bofur asked as he tipped his hat to Tauriel.

"Phoenix is in danger, so we are all going with Uncle to rescue her." Fili told him.

"Alrighty, let us grab our things and we'll come too." Bofur told them suddenly Thorin found himself to be surrounded by most of his original company, who had heard the commotion and come to investigate, only to be told by Fili and Kili what was happening. When everyone was ready, they all rode off, led by Tauriel who knew Phoenix's typical route for a hunt and they all searched high and low in the setting sun for any sign of Phoenix. However, it soon became dark and they had resulted to finding wood to build a fire so that they could group together and come up with an actual plan.

"I say we split up." Dwalin spoke up. "Go in groups, that way we can cover much more ground."

"I agree with Dwalin, at least if we split up, we have more chance of seeing anything out of place." Gloin told them.

Thorin nodded at the logic and he got to his feet, about to divide the group into smaller groups, when they were stopped by the rustling of the bushes behind them and they all watched as Uldoniair burst from the bush in front of them. The wolf looked just as bad as the horse did, her own body ragged by cuts from something.

"Uldoniair." Thorin smiled slightly in relief, but he could not resist looking around for Phoenix.

"Where is Phoenix?" He asked.

Uldoniair looked at him and she looked back the way that she came, before she grabbed his arm in his jaw and she started to drag him.

"Easy Uldoniair, I'm coming." Thorin told her looking back at his dwarves when she let him go. "Come on." He told them as he climbed back onto his horse and they all followed the Dire Wolf as she led them through the thick and dense forest. Thorin just hoped that Phoenix was not as bad as her companions.

However, Phoenix was trying to squeeze herself into the smallest hole possible in order to hide from the Warg. In her unarmed and pained state, she was vulnerable and she did not like it. However, she heard the warg start looking for her as it got into the ravine that she was in. She could hear people coming towards them and she recognised the feeling of weightlessness that she received whenever Thorin was near and it caused her to panic, she could not let this beast hurt her beloved! So she done the only thing that she could do, she took off her leather gloves and threw herself to her feet. When she walked out from her hiding place, the warg was still looking around for her.

"Hey!" Phoenix shouted and at the voice the warg turned around and snarled, dropping into a stance to attack. "Come and get me!" She shouted and as the warg charged, Phoenix felt the familiar sensation of her power fighting to take control and suddenly her hand shot out and a jet of fire hit the warg. Only this time, the warg did not stop and succumb to the fire and pain that she was obviously inflicting on it, it continued to push forward, so she used her other hand as well.

"Phoenix!" She heard the shout of her name from her friends, the guards and her beloved and it warmed her heart, but she had to destroy this warg so that it did not hurt them.

However, this warg was strong; carrying on until it almost reached her. Yet, her powers seemed to realise this somehow and something seemed to snap inside Phoenix. The group from the top of the ravine watched as her eyes gained a rather scary and uncharacteristic flame; it was almost like her eyes were on fire! And the fire coming from her hands suddenly started spreading until she was nothing but a fire in the shape of a human; even her curled brunette hair was alive with fire. It scared most of the dwarves who backed away from what they were seeing, but not Thorin and Thrain, they were seeing who Phoenix truly was and to them it was glorious. However not as glorious as what was happening with her powers on the warg, they remained watching as instead of two jets of flames from her hands, a wave of fire was suddenly pushed onto the warg and the fire surrounded it. Not allowing the warg any escape or any relief as it was plagued with bursts of fire until it eventually dropped to the floor and died, a slow and torturous death. The only thing that was bothering them was that Phoenix had let out almost a demonic scream throughout the whole thing. When it was over, Phoenix's fire disappeared almost as suddenly as it had appeared and with it, Phoenix fell face first into the slurping mud of the ravine floor.

"Phoenix!" Thorin shouted down, preying to the gods that she was okay, he had no choice but to watch as Dwalin, Gloin and Bofur slid down the side of the ravine and between the three of them, made their way back up to the top of the ravine with Phoenix's lifeless body. When she was lay before them on the floor, Uldoniair nuzzled her rider with a whimper of worry as Tauriel got down off her horse and knelt beside her, a hand hovering over the hybrid's body, searching for damage or loss of life.

"She's okay." Tauriel told them. "She's exhausted, that took a lot out of her." She explained to Thorin. "A few more broken bones and a few broken ribs, but she will be fine after some proper rest."

Thorin nodded and when Tauriel moved, he allowed Dwalin and Gloin to lift Phoenix onto his saddle in front of him so that she was riding side saddle and her left cheek against his right shoulder and when she was settled, they started the walk back to Erebor.

They reached Erebor in record time, Tauriel going to fetch Oin whilst Thorin carried Phoenix in his arms up to their chambers where he ignored the pasting of mud and blood in her hair and on her body and he lay her in the crystal blue sheets.

"You'll be okay, take as long as you need to get better." He whispered to her. "I'm sorry about how I acted, I guess I was both shocked and a little scared that you would do something like this for me." He told her, gently taking one of her hands that were closest to him as Uldoniair jumped up onto the bed beside them, her head resting on Phoenix's stomach. "I'm not the only one who needs you to get better." He reminded her softly.

They were soon interrupted by Oin's knock on the door and he came in with Tauriel and Thorin's nephews in tow. They all stood back as Oin got to work with Tauriel's assistance and soon he had Phoenix bandaged and some medicating herbs on the side table for when she woke up. When he was gone, Tauriel looked over at Thorin.

"Would you like me to give her a wash Thorin?" Tauriel asked.

Thorin looked at the mass of mud and blood that covered Phoenix and then he looked at Tauriel. "No thank you Tauriel, I can handle this, please could you all give us some privacy?"

"Of course Uncle." Fili told him and the three of them bowed and left before Uldoniair raised her head and looked at Thorin, wanting to know if he wanted her gone as well.

"No, you stay." He told her and Uldoniair nodded, moving to lie in front of the cold fire.

When Uldoniair was out of the way, Thorin took the large wash basin from the stand by the fireplace and he walked into the bathroom and filled it with hot water from the furnace of the mountain before he placed it on the table beside Phoenix's side of the bed where she lay motionless and peaceful.

"It's alright my love, it is only me, and I'm just going to make sure that you are clean." He told her and as he spoke, he slid off his top robes until he was only in his undershirt; whilst his bottom half remained the same and he put a cloth into the wash basin, rolling up his sleeves. "You're going to be alright my love." He told her as he started to clean her arms and as he cleaned her, he undressed her to change her into something suitable for the bed, and he found one of her more covered night gowns that he found that she liked, and he slid it on her once she was dry and her hair was washed. That night he had his meals brought up to their room so that he would never have to leave Phoenix alone and he waited for her to wake up.

Phoenix did not wake up until earlier that morning; it was so early that the sun had not yet raised and she pushed herself into a sitting position, looking around. As she looked around, she found Uldoniair asleep against the fireplace where Thorin was stood, leaning against it, and the fire long since died out.

"Thorin?" She whispered her voice hoarse with pain and the need to drink.

At hearing his name, he turned and relief flooded his face as he saw her forcing herself into a sitting up position in the bed. "My love, I'm so happy that you're alright." He told her as he moved to sit on the bed beside her, handing her a cup of water that he had kept on the table beside the bed with her medicating herbs in. "Its medicine from Oin, to help with the pain." Thorin told her and he helped her to drink from the cup in his hands.

When she had drunk what she could, she settled back into the bed as Thorin moved to lie down beside her.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"I'm alright." She told him. "Feeling much better now."

"Good." He told her. "Well enough for us to discuss something?"

"Yes I believe so." She told him.

"What should I make for your family?" He asked. "They will be visiting in a few weeks."

"I know." She told him and he did not miss the excitement in her voice. "Well, Arwen likes jewellery, Elrohir and Elladan like weapons and ada likes books and knowledge, does that help?"

"Right, so I can make Arwen a bracelet, is there a specific jewel she likes?" He asked.

"Sapphires, diamonds, emeralds, she likes all of them...But she loves opal." She told him.

"Okay, so I can make an opal bracelet for Arwen, what about daggers for your brothers?" He asked.

Phoenix nodded. "That sounds good, but don't make them identical, they might be almost the same, but they don't like to have the same things." She told him.

"Okay...Now what the hell do I get your father?" He asked.

"Well, he likes books, possibly a book on dwarvish history, or the history of your family." She suggested.

"Okay...A book on the Line of Durin...I'll have to ask my father if we have one." Thorin told him.

"But do it later, you need sleep." She told him and Thorin nodded, lying beside her, holding her close as they both ended up falling asleep, Thorin feeling much better that he knew what to get his possible future in-laws.

Translations

Baw Uldoniair : No Uldoniair

Bad ta hir resta : Go and find help

Bad ta hir Thorin : Go and find Thorin

Ya ná Phoenix? : Where is Phoenix?

N he nidwa? : Is she hurt?

Gar tye garthant dín vi moina sad : Have you placed her in a safe place?

Ná he vi raxë? : Is she in danger?


	34. Chapter 34

Gift Giving

The weeks passed slowly for Phoenix, and she found herself trailing through the halls of Erebor, counting down the days for her family to get here. Thorin had been using his spare time to craft the weapons for her brothers, the bracelet for Arwen and see that the book he was giving Lord Elrond was made to the highest standard. Which meant that Phoenix had been left alone, she had healed well so she was back to training, and Uldoniair was an ever present figure, just like she was now as they got to the rooms that her family were staying in.

"What do you fancy doing?" Phoenix asked the wolf.

Uldoniair had grown in the past few weeks and she was now reaching the normal height for a Dire Wolf, which was just smaller than a young Warg. Said wolf seemed to simply shrug as she looked at her mistress who checked the rooms to make sure that they were ready. Her family would be here in a day or two and everything needed to be perfect. As she was leaving, she walked straight into Dwalin.

"Oh, sorry Dwalin." She told him.

"It's alright lass, you look nervous, are you alright?" He asked.

"Yeah." She nodded. "I'm fine." She told him with a smile.

"Good...Well I was going to go down to the training area and spar, do you want to be my sparring partner?" He asked.

"Yeah sure." She told him and the small group walked down towards the training arena, finding it empty and Uldoniair sat in the stands, watching.

"Do you only use swords and your bow?" Dwalin asked as he picked up his battleaxe.

"More or less, I've never really tried to fight with an axe, but watching the rest of you, it doesn't seem that hard." She told him gently running a hand over the weapons that she looked through.

"I could show you if you want lass." He told her.

Phoenix nodded. "Yeah okay."

Dwalin gave her a smile in encouragement, and he handed her an axe, before he watched her take off her waistcoat and swords and leave them next to stands where Uldoniair walked down, picked them up and took them back to where she had been sat. Dwalin and Phoenix spent hours working on Phoenix's stance, allowing her to get used to the different weight of the axe, which was much heavier when compared to her swords. However, Dwalin admired how quickly Phoenix was able to pick up the way in which an axe should be handled and soon they were sparring against each other. Phoenix was not fighting as well as she would with her swords, but she was not doing too badly against the burly dwarf. They did not notice the amounts of dwarves, who had gathered before them to watch the practicing between the pair of them, and soon everything stopped as Dwalin suddenly grabbed the axe that Phoenix had been holding and he swung her around until she hit the ground hard on her back. But they were only made aware of the crowd when they heard Thorin's booming voice.

"Dwalin, if you damage my lover, I will come down hard on you." Thorin warned playfully, causing both Dwalin and Phoenix to turn and look at him.

"Don't worry Thorin, she's fine." Dwalin told him, before he looked back at Phoenix who pushed herself to her feet, holding her ribs. "You are, aren't you lass?" He asked, suddenly worried at seeing her holding where her ribs were.

"Yeah, I think I have a stitch or something." She told him, looked to Uldoniair as she walked over, holding Phoenix's waistcoat and weapons.

Thorin walked down to them and he watched her as Doriz walked over to Phoenix and whispered something to her before she nodded and together they walked off towards Doriz's office, leaving Thorin stood beside Dwalin.

"What's on your mind?" Dwalin asked him.

"I feel like I have neglected her." He told him.

"Why?" He asked.

"Because I've been so busy making gifts for her family, I have had no time to be with her." He sighed. "Elrond told me to take care of her and I have ended up abandoning her."

"She knows that you still love her though." Dwalin told her. "She told me how important these acceptance gifts for her family are to you."

Thorin nodded. "But I want her to be happy with me, how can she be when I'm not there?"

Dwalin simply shrugged. "I doubt that we will ever know the answer to that, but you could ask her."

Thorin nodded. "I will." He told him. "In fact, I will go and find her right now." He then left the room, following the way to Doriz's office.

When he reached it, he knocked on the door and he heard a lot of bustling from behind it, before Doriz opened the door.

"You majesty." She bowed her head to him. "What can I do for you?"

"I am looking for my lover, is she here?" He asked.

"She is my lord." Doriz told him. "But she does not wish to see you just yet."

"Why not?" Thorin asked.

"I'm not dressed, that is why." Phoenix shouted from inside the room and Thorin let out the breath that he had been holding.

"Alright, I'll be waiting out here." He told them.

After a few minutes, Thorin was soon joined by Phoenix who was fastening her sword belt around her waist.

After she had said goodbye to Doriz, she and Thorin walked into the courtyard, Phoenix sat on a stone bench whilst Thorin stood before her. Looking up at him, she noticed that he looked troubled.

"What's the matter?" She asked.

"Nothing." He told her.

"Don't lie to me." She warned him, moving to stand and she caught his hands, making sure that he was looking at her.

Thorin looked at her and he sighed. "I feel as though you should be angry with me." He told her.

"I will be if you don't tell me the truth." She told him.

Thorin sighed. "I feel as though you might be angry with me for not spending as much time with you." He told her.

Phoenix moved a hand into his hair. "Don't get me wrong, I've missed you these past few weeks." She told him and when he was about to speak, she put a finger to his lips, until he let her finish. "But I know why we haven't spent much time together; I know that you wanted to focus on your gifts."

Thorin nodded and waited until she moved her finger so that he could speak again. "I have missed you too, and I'm thankful that you understand." He told her. "I just wish that I could have spent more time with you."

"Well, my family aren't due to get here until tomorrow; we could always spend some time together now?" She suggested.

Thorin nodded. "Alright, let's go for a walk around the palace." She nodded and taking his hand, they started walking.

Thorin and Phoenix spent the rest of the day together, finding a room where they could have some peace and quiet and Phoenix lounged on some benches as Thorin stood before her, and he told her stories about battles and his life as a child. They were soon joined by Thrain who was able to tell her more stories about Thorin as a child, either way; they were all laughing into the end of the night. The next morning, a guard came to fetch Thorin and Phoenix when they saw the caravans for Phoenix's family coming towards Erebor.

"I'll join you in the hall." Phoenix told him as the guard left and Thorin was dressed.

"Alright, don't be too long, your father would kill me if I kept him from you." Thorin told her playfully.

She giggled. "I won't, Falla should be along soon to help me dress." She told him. "I have a new dress I want to show you all."

He nodded. "Alright." He kissed her gently before he left her alone as Falla came into the room and he walked down to the gates to greet the guests as the caravans started rolling in. After a few minutes, one of the caravans opened and the Lady Arwen walked out from inside as her father and brother walked over after dismounting their horses.

"Thorin!" Arwen called and she walked over, hugging him tightly in greeting.

"It's good to see you Lady Arwen." He told her, hugging her back, before he let go of her as two other female elves climbed out of the caravan, being escorted by Elladan and Elrohir. As Elrond made his way to him, he and Thorin clasped hands, before he done the same to his son's and then he bowed to the two female elves.

"I don't believe that we have been introduced." Thorin told them. "My name is Thorin, Son of Thrain, Son of Thror and King under the mountain."

"I am Erumara." The one on Elrohir's arm told him with a curtsey.

"I am Meladamiriel." The other introduced who was attached to Elladan's arm.

"It is a pleasure to meet you." Thorin told him before Elrond spoke.

"Thorin, where is my daughter?" Elrond asked as they walked towards where their rooms would be.

"She will join us in a short while; she is currently going through dress fittings." Thorin told him and Elrond nodded in understanding.

When they had been shown to their room, and changed out of their travelling clothes, Thorin brought them all to the rooms that he and Phoenix occupied, which had now had a fully finished sitting area complete with comfortable sofas with plush cushions and a roaring fireplace.

"Is this where you and Phoenix live?" Arwen asked.

Thorin nodded. "Yes, it's only been finished since yesterday." He told her. "I kept changing my mind over the designs."

Arwen laughed. "Can I see yours and Phoenix's bedroom?"

"You share a bedroom?" Erumara asked.

"Yes." He told her. "It's not a bad thing."

"On the contrary!" Erumara nearly shrieked in disgust.

"You and she are unmarried, it is the most impure thing that could be done." Meladamiriel told him, her voice showing how much she hated the idea.

"Meladamiriel, Erumara, that's enough." Elrond told them. "What Phoenix and Thorin decide to do is their business." He reminded them, just as the door to the rooms opened and Phoenix walked through and she was a vision of loveliness.

Her dark hair fell to just below her shoulders, in soft waves, whilst her oceanic blue eyes sparkled with anticipation for seeing her family. But the dress she wore was a deep red in colour, a wispy material that still clung to her body to accentuate her curves, but a see through fabric starting at her shoulders and flowing to the floor almost like a cape. Overall, she looked gorgeous, breathtakingly so.

"Phoenix!" Arwen smiled, getting up and walking over to her and pulling her into a hug which Phoenix happily returned.

"Arwen." She smiled, hugging her sister before she got hugs from her brothers and when it came to the other women, she bowed her head but they never bowed back. When she eventually got to Elrond, he pulled her into a hug and they kissed each other's cheeks, before he let her go to Thorin.

When they were all settled, Thorin and Phoenix sat next to each other; Arwen sat on a bearskin rug with Uldoniair, who was happily receiving a tickle, Elrond sat in an armchair, whilst her brothers and the other females all sat together in chairs. Phoenix watched as Thorin received gifts from her brothers and the women that he was only now told to be Phoenix's brother's wives. Elrohir had given him a specific elvish dagger, made entirely of silver, but complete with a mixture of dwarvish engravings and one engraving spelt his name down the handle on one side. Whilst Elladan gave him a new shield, it was ornate and the shiniest metal that Thorin had ever seen and he looked at the Elves before him.

"Hanta tyë." Thorin told him and Phoenix's brothers simply bowed their head in acknowledgement of his thanks, before they looked to Lord Elrond. Lord Elrond reached into the pocket of his robes and pulled out a small box.

"My daughter has already given you a new cloak; I thought that this would be a good idea to give you this, to welcome you to our family." Elrond passed the box to Thorin as he spoke.

Thorin looked at the small box, and he opened it carefully finding a metal buckle inside, with a family crest engraved onto the front and thanks to the numerous letters that he and Phoenix received from the Elf Lord, they realised it to be Elrond's family crest.

"My Lord, this is too much." Thorin told him.

"Nonsense, it is a mere small gift." Elrond told him.

Thorin nodded. "Thank you my lord." He told him.

"Now, I have gifts for you all." He told them, looking to the door as there was a knock, before he looked at Phoenix. "Amrâlimê, why don't you get the gifts, I'll see who this is."

Phoenix nodded and she walked to their bedroom where Thorin had put the gifts into a box and she carried the box back out to them, and was caught around the waist by Thorin.

"Forgive me my love, and guests, something calls for my attention." He told them. "I will have to deal with this."

"It's quite alright Thorin." Elrond told him. "We understand, we shall see you at dinner, is that right?"

"It is my Lord, and Phoenix will be able to give you your gifts from me." Thorin nodded and he kissed Phoenix's lips briefly before he left.

When he was gone, Phoenix set the box beside her and she pulled out the first gift and it was the smallest box, made for Arwen and she handed it out to her sister.

"Here you go Arwen." Phoenix told her.

Arwen smiled in thanks, opening the box and she marvelled at the opal stone set into a silver band and she pulled it out of the box, asking Elrond to help her with it and Phoenix watched as it was fitted onto her wrist.

"It's beautiful...Did Thorin make it?" Arwen asked.

Phoenix nodded. "He did." She smiled at the excitement on her sister's face, before she pulled out two longer boxes and she handed either of them to Elladan and Elrohir. When they opened them, inside there was a short sword each, both of typical dwarvish design and ruins on the blades.

"What do the ruins mean?" Elladan asked, looking up at his sister after he had finished marvelling at his sword.

"Yours reads Elrohir and Elrohir has your name on his." Phoenix explained.

"Then shouldn't we swap over?" Elrohir asked.

Phoenix shook her head. "No, that was the point; the idea of these swords is for each of you to have each others, as a symbol of the bond of brotherhood." She told him. "Quite nice I think."

"I agree, Thorin had certainly put a lot of thought into these gifts." Elrond told them. "You must all thank him when he returns."

"And we definitely shall." Elrohir told him, before both he and his brother got to their feet and attached their swords to their waists. "They're long enough to be effective on horseback." He mused.

"But not long enough to trip over them." Phoenix told them with a smile, though it made her brother's wives sniff in distaste.

"Elves do not trip." Erumara told them indigently.

"Well, before this causes an argument, he has made a gift for you ada." Phoenix told the elf lord and she pulled the final gift from the box, it was wrapped carefully with colourful parchment. Everyone watched as Elrond opened the parchment to reveal a large book.

"The Line of Durin." Elrond read the cover. "This is the book of Thorin's bloodline is it not?" He asked Phoenix.

Phoenix simply nodded. "It is, he thought that you would like to add to your collection of books and also know more about the family I am part of."

Elrond smiled softly. "This is a very thoughtful gift; I will certainly give my thanks to him."

Everyone dissolved into comfortable and quiet conversations, with Phoenix and Arwen soon sitting on the sofa that Phoenix had occupied when Uldoniair had fallen asleep by the fire.

That night, after everyone had come back to Phoenix and Thorin's rooms after changing into something suitable for dinner, they were visited by Thrain who was happily introduced to everybody, before he brought them all to the private dining rooms.

"This is where the King will house special guests and have quiet meals with his family; we have only just had it finished after the dragon took the mountain." Thrain explained as everyone took their seats and they were soon joined by Fili, Kili and Tauriel and then eventually Thorin who looked worn and tired.

"Are you alright?" Phoenix asked him as he sat next to her, her eyes alight with worry whilst everyone around them ate and talked together.

"I am well." He told her, kissing her hand. "There is nothing for you to worry about."

Phoenix was nowhere near convinced, but she did not press the issue and instead she listened to the conversations around them.

"So, Thorin..." The voice came from Arwen and everyone went quiet in order to hear what the Lady of Rivendell was going to say.

"Yes Arwen?" Thorin asked.

"When are you going to ask for my sister's hand?" She asked and then suddenly everyone's attention was on Thorin and Phoenix.

"When the time is right." Thorin told them simply and they all swore that they saw a small smile appear on Phoenix lips before she took a sip of her drink. Eventually everyone had eaten their fill and most retired to bed, Phoenix and Arwen were two of the last to leave until it was only Thorin and Elrond sat at the table together.

"I must thank you for the book you gave me, I had wished to update my collection, and I am grateful that you gave me something that will allow me an insight into what my daughter is getting herself into with you." Elrond told him.

"You're very welcome." He told him with a smile. "Actually, I wanted to ask you something my lord." Thorin told him.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Would you allow me to marry your daughter?" Thorin asked.

The question only slightly took the elf lord by surprise, before he soon smiled and he nodded his head. "Thorin, I cannot think of a better person to marry my daughter, you are a noble and honest dwarf, and I would take great joy in calling you my son-in-law."

Thorin smiled and he thanks the elf, before said elf retired to his rooms for the night leaving the dwarf to his own devices and Thorin pulled a small box from his pocket, but he did not open it.

"Now to find the right time." He told himself, before he put the box back into his robes and he walked back to his rooms finding his love asleep in bed, so he happily undressed and climbed in with her, falling straight to sleep holding her close.


	35. Chapter 35

Proposed Party

A few weeks later, there was a buzz around the kingdom of Erebor and Elrond and his family watched as the dwarves seemingly came alive, preparing for a party. They had been asked to stay longer by Thorin and after making sure that Lindir was fine to watch over things in Rivendell, Elrond and his family had accepted. Nobody knew what Elrond and Thorin had spoke of, or the permission that was given for Thorin to propose to Phoenix, so she was none the wiser. However, said half-breed was not aware of much as she was currently outside of Erebor with her brothers and they were practicing any battle techniques that they had and trying out their new short swords. Arwen, Elrond, Erumara and Meldamiriel were all sat on rocks watching. Soon enough they were joined by Fili, Kili and Tauriel soon joined them.

"Tauriel, how are you feeling?" Arwen asked, putting her cloak down for the pregnant elf who smiled in thanks as she took a seat.

"I am well Lady Arwen, thank you." Tauriel smiled.

"Tauriel, it's just Arwen." She told her with a small laugh. "You and I will be family eventually; I think it's time for us to refer to birth names now don't you?"

"I do believe that you are right." She told her with a nod. "Very well, Arwen."

Arwen smiled softly at her before she looked back at where Phoenix had just pinned down both of her brothers with a single move.

"Your style of fighting has changed." Elrohir accused playfully as he got himself back to his feet.

"I've been training with the dwarves, it had to change." She told him as she helped Elladan to his feet and they walked over to join the crowd.

When they joined them, they sat with them, each drinking from the jug of Elvish wine that had been brought with Arwen and eating some small snacks. Soon they all lounged in the sun, having eaten their fill and having nothing else that was in urgent need to be done.

However, their silence was soon broken by screams come from the direction of Dale and they all got to their feet, looking towards the village where they saw pillars of smoke already beginning to rise.

"What's happening?" Tauriel asked, looking to Phoenix.

"I don't know, but Tauriel, take my sister and the lovers of my brothers back inside Erebor, I need to go down to Dale." Phoenix told her.

"I will alert Thorin." She told her and Tauriel ushered the other three back towards Erebor whilst Phoenix ran towards Dale, her brothers following. As they drew closer to Dale, they found most of the women and children from the village had started running for Erebor, where Phoenix was able to intercept Helga.

"Helga, what happened?" Phoenix asked, stopping in front of the woman.

"Demons my lady." Helga gasped, trying to catch her breath. "Orcs."

"Run for Erebor, Thorin will help you." Phoenix promised. "Where are Sigrid and Tilda?"

"I don't know...I tried to smuggle them out with me, but something grabbed Tilda...I did not know until I was out of Dale..." Helga tried to explain.

"Its fine, I'll help them, you keep running." She looked at the crowd. "Everyone run to Erebor!" She shouted, before she ran towards Dale, brandishing her swords as she got to the cities gate. Getting into the city, she and her brothers cut down any Orc that they came across. Soon Phoenix found Bard and she ran to him, killing an orc that was about to attack him from behind and she looked at him.

"Why didn't you call us?" She asked him.

"We didn't have time." He told her as they fought back to back. "They came on us too fast."

"Thorin should be here soon." She told him as she slayed more orcs in her wake.

"He had better hurry."

True to her word, Thorin's battle cry could be heard for miles and suddenly there was a flurry or dwarves coming to the fight and they were led by their King who wore striking armour. With Fili, Kili and Dwalin at his side, it was like a wave of metal upon metal. Suddenly there was a shrill scream and everyone turned to see a large orc holding something out over a ledge and they all recognised it to be Tilda. At seeing this sight, memories of the battle on Raven's Point came back for Thorin and Dwalin and Thorin looked around for his beloved but he could not see her. However, before he could look for her, his attention was captured by Bard's shout for his youngest child.

"Tilda!" Bard shouted.

"Da'!" The young girl screamed.

"Here begins the end." The orc snarled, however, Thorin soon found his beloved and everyone watched as Phoenix suddenly lunged herself at the Orc from behind and the orc dropped Tilda, and both he and Phoenix fell from the height. As they hit the ground, everyone got back to fighting the orcs and as Phoenix got herself to her feet, she grabbed her sword just as the Orc did and they started to fight. Yet, with his size, the Orc overpowered Phoenix who fell onto her back on the floor, her sword ending up miles away, and just as he was about to deliver the devastating blow, a flash of grey fur appeared and Phoenix saw Uldoniair digging her teeth into the Orc. But she was soon thrown off, and she skidded across the floor with a yelp, yet she pushed herself to her feet and tried again, just as a trio of arrows pierced a week spot in the orc's armour and Phoenix looked to see both Legolas, Elrond and Thranduil stood together, their armours bloody and dented, but they were all holding longbows ready to fire at the orc again.

"Do not touch her." Elrond warned, shooting the orc again who gave a roar of pain and as he advanced upon the three men, Phoenix grabbed her sword and got to her feet. When she was standing, she gripped her sword in both hands and took a running jump and impaled the orc through the top of his head with her sword, landing on the floor with it.

As it lay there dead, Legolas helped her to get to her feet and Uldoniair came to nuzzle her, before she hugged her cousin.

"You're a bit late." She told him.

"I dear cousin have been travelling from Mirkwood all day." Legolas told her playfully. "Show some respect."

Phoenix smiled before she hugged Elrond and she even hugged Thranduil before she was suddenly picked up from behind and swung around by Thorin.

"My love." Phoenix laughed when he put her onto her feet facing him.

"My everything." Thorin told her with a smile, before he pressed his lips to hers. "Don't you ever do something like that again, you scared me half to death when Tauriel told me that you had gone to fight with nothing but your leathers to protect you."

Phoenix smiled in a loving way as she looked to the dwarf in front of her. "Forgive me my lord, I did not mean to worry you, but you know that your worries are unnecessary." She told him.

He rolled his eyes at her before he looked at the three elf lords before him. "Lord Elrond, King Thranduil, Prince Legolas, may we all ride back to Erebor to show you all of your rooms?" He asked. "My youngest nephew will happy lead you, he is going back to look after his lover." He nodded to where Kili was preparing to leave, gathering up his arrows.

"That would be nice my lord." Thranduil told him before he and Legolas headed off with Kili and Lord Elrond went to find his sons.

When they were alone, Phoenix and Thorin walked hand in hand to where they had seen Bard and they found him with his children, fussing over Tilda who was hugging him like the frightened young child that she was. Whilst Fili was holding Sigrid to him as they sat together on the floor, she looked terrified and Bain was sat on a rock watching the ground. Phoenix hugged them all in turn before she helped them pack up their necessities and with Thorin's orders, Dwalin helped them to take their things up to Erebor. After all, there was a party on that night, and they were invited.

When they reached Erebor, Phoenix showed them to their rooms before she was met by Falla who walked with her to hers and Thorin's rooms and as Phoenix sat on her bed, unravelling her braids, Falla ran her a bath.

"My lady you look a mess." Falla told her as she joined her, letting the bath fill itself up. "Would you like me to wash your hair?"

"If you would not mind Falla." Phoenix asked and Falla simply nodded before she went to retrieve the oils needed for Phoenix's hair.

Whilst she was gone, Phoenix felt hands on her shoulders and she smiled at feeling the familiar embrace of her lover.

"Where have you been?" She asked him.

"Sorting things out with the guards to make sure nothing interrupts the party tonight." He told her. "And trying to find out what could have caused the orcs to attack Dale."

"I want to know that too, but let's not dwell on that for tonight." She told him, moving to stand and she looked at him, sliding her arms around his neck. "Let us focus on just us and our guests tonight."

He slid his arms around her waist as she spoke and when she was finished he nodded in agreement. "I plan to focus solely on you."

She smiled at his words before he watched her walk into the bathing chambers of their room and he shed his outer clothes, so he was only in his under tunic and leather pants and he moved so he was stood in the doorway. He watched quietly as Falla helped her to undress and Phoenix slid into the bath, the water possibly too hot for him to touch, but to her it was safety and peace. He watched as Falla poured jugs and jugs of water over Phoenix's still perfectly short hair and he soon walked over as she was about to reach for a bottle of oil.

"Allow me." Thorin told her and Falla immediately got up and bowed her head moving away. When she was out of the way, Thorin knelt on the stone floor of the chamber and he rolled up his sleeves, lathering his hands with the oils before he moved to rub said oils into the shoulder length tresses of his lover's hair. As he moved his hands, he felt Phoenix relax into him and he could tell that she had closed her eyes. Soon her hair was full of suds and Thorin poured jugs of water over her hair until it was soap free and he leant forward to kiss her shoulder before he left her to finish washing. When she joined him in their chambers, she found him with his own servants who were helping him to dress. She watched for a few seconds, before she got dressed. She was dressed much quicker than he was and she walked up behind him, still bare foot as to make no noise and she took the comb that Thorin normally used and she started to brush through his mass of black waves. When she was sure there was no knots, she redone his braids and fastened them with clips, before she waited for him to turn to face her. Once they were facing, her attention went to his beard and she fixed the braid that he had in his beard. Thorin watched the look of concentration on his lover's face, as she made sure that she got the braid on his beard right. He was happy that he had grown it again for her. When she was done, she looked him in the eye.

"Idir ná entë vanimelda hequa i ara di findë sui mor sui i craban raw." She told him and her words caused Thorin to pull her into him.

"And no Queen is more beloved and beautiful as the one with fire flooding her veins." He told her and he smiled softly at feeling Phoenix's lips find his.

The servants left them alone to enjoy each other's company and feeling very privileged to see the love and trust their king had towards his lover, as it was know that for a dwarf man to wash a woman's hair, was a show of absolute trust and for a woman to return the favour and braid a dwarf man's hair, was even more special.

They did not stay in their room for long, just long enough for the pair of them to finish getting ready and for Thorin to steal some more kisses. When they reached the doors to the banquet hall, Thorin took a second to look her over. Her dress was a mix of Elvish and Dwarvish, the bodice tight on her chest emphasising her bust, the skirt flowing in material and when she moved and her hair was down to her shoulders, all dark and her normal curls. When they were announced, they walked into a room full of people all sat at different tables. There was one large table where Thorin led her and Phoenix saw Legolas, Thanduil, Tauriel, Fili, Kili, Dis, Dain, Elrond, Arwen, Elrohir, Thrain, Meldamiriel, Erumara and Elladan. As they took their seats, their guests all bowed their heads to the King and his lover, before they too took their seats. Soon the dinner was served and all different conversations started. However, Phoenix and Thorin noticed that there were conversations alone in Elvish and separate conversations in Dwarvish.

"Do you think they will ever just have a conversation with each other in the common tongue?" Thorin asked Phoenix teasingly.

"I don't know...Maybe." She told him with a soft laugh, before she took a sip of her drink.

Thorin smiled softly as he watched her, before his nephew spoke up. "Uncle, you've braided your beard." Fili pointed out and everyone looked at him.

"I have." Thorin nodded.

"What made you tie it again?" Dis asked.

"I didn't do it." Thorin told her. "Phoenix did." He looked to Phoenix who had been pulled into a conversation in Elvish with Elladan.

"Man ná i ind uin spinde?" He asked her.

Phoenix smiled softly at her brother wanting to know more about Thorin's culture, but she did not get a chance to say anything, but Thrain took over.

"Hîn sav laew ind, mîl, beren, tû a olea iaur." Thrain told him and Elladan nodded in understanding.

"I did not think that a simple braid could mean so much." Elladan told him, suddenly reverting to the common tongue and it made Phoenix smile as she listened to her brother and Thrain talking about other dwarven cultures.

Once the whole hall had eaten their fill, everyone moved to clear space for dancing, and the elves all congregated to a table with Bard and his children whilst Fili, Kili and Thrain joining them. They seemed to be having fun, talking and joking about things, Elladan and Elrohir seemed to take great delight in joking with Fili and Kili and even Legolas and Bain took part occasionally. Whilst the boys joked around, Sigrid and Tilda, Tauriel, Arwen, Erumara and Meldamiriel started a conversation about Phoenix.

"When do you think he will ask for her hand?" Tilda asked.

"I hope he does tonight." Sigrid told them.

"I agree with young Sigrid, the timing could not be more perfect." Arwen told them. "Ada is here and Phoenix's Uncle." She nodded over to where Elrond, Thranduil and Bard were talking, before she looked back at them.

"The timing does seem quite right." Tauriel told them, nodding her head in agreement.

"Well I think that it would be a very unworthy match." Erumara sneered.

"An outcast and a king, of all things." Meldamiriel agreed, sipping her drink in disgust as everyone looked over to where Thorin and Phoenix were dancing together with Dwalin and Baztia.

"Think what you wish...It is romantic." Tauriel told them.

"Watch your tongue." Erumara sneered in warning to Tauriel. "You are no better, a lowly Sylvan Elf and a Prince; it's laughable to think that you two would last."

Her comments seemed to grab Kili's attention and he put his hand on Tauriel's shoulder. "We are happy unlike you, you spoilt hag." He sneered. "It is you who needs to watch their tongue."

Erumara glared at him before they all looked over to where Phoenix and Thorin were dancing on their own and they looked happy an in love which kept the anger at the table at bay.

The evening wore on, the dwarves having more and more wine, except for Thorin who had stuck to water with Phoenix so that she was not as alone and they were laughing at seeing their friends falling over themselves in their slightly drunken state.

"My lady,"

They both turned to find Legolas stood before them and they smiled in welcome to the Elf Prince.

"Cousin, what is it?" Phoenix asked, letting Legolas press a kiss to her hand in respect.

"May I have this dance?" Legolas asked, though his eyes were on Thorin.

"Of course." Thorin told them. "Go on Phoenix, have fun."

Phoenix smiled to him and she got to her feet walking with Legolas to a space on the dance floor and he twirled her into a dance. Thorin watched the pair before he looked over at where he could see the white hair of the Elf King and he got up from his throne, walking over to where Thranduil sat with Bard and Elrond, both of them talking about their families, and the King of Dale, Lord of Rivendell and King of Mirkwood seemed to be bonding over the loss of their wives. Thorin hated to interrupt, but he had an important question to ask of the Elf King.

"Forgive me, may I interrupt?" Thorin asked them.

"Of course King Thorin, what is it?" Bard asked.

"I wish to ask a question of Thranduil." He told them.

"Would you like us to leave Thorin?" Elrond asked.

"No thank you Elrond." Thorin looked to the Elf King who sat there still as stone, his mystical eyes looking at the smaller king with curiosity.

"What do you wish to ask me?" Thranduil asked. "Is our trade agreement not up to standard?"

"No, it's nothing political...It's more family related." Thorin told him and this seemed to take the other King by surprise.

"Ask me anything." Thranduil told him.

"Would you let me marry Ph-Rhavaniel?" Thorin asked, he almost used Phoenix's alias, but reverted to her original name for the Elf King.

"I would allow you to do so, on one condition." Thranduil told him.

"And that would be?" Thorin asked.

"You must come to Mirkwood a two weeks before the wedding, and from there we will go through the ceremony of welcoming you into the life of the elves." Thranduil told him.

"Agreed." Thorin nodded with a smile.

Thranduil bowed his head to Thorin and he too has a small smile on his lips, and he watched the dwarf walk away. However, even Thranduil noticed something on the dance floor, Phoenix was dancing with Thorin's cousin and she looked almost uncomfortable whilst Legolas stood on the skirt of the crowd who watched and even he looked ready to attack the dwarf with Phoenix.

Phoenix had been coerced by Dain into a dance after he had tapped Legolas on the side and requested Phoenix's hand, reminding Legolas that this was not his forest and he had to do as the dwarves commanded. Phoenix had tried to refuse, even making excuses, but Dain dragged her into the middle of the dance floor so she was in full view of everybody, and Dain seemed to relish in how uncomfortable Phoenix looked.

"What's the matter filth lost your nerve?" Dain sneered, suddenly tugging her bracelet so she changed into her dwarf form and because of the suddenness of the change, Phoenix winced in pain. "Oh did that hurt?" He sneered.

"Why are you doing this Dain?" She asked him.

"Because I don't want you to be with my cousin." He told her. "You're a mess and filth, you don't deserve to be in this mountain, and I will do all I can to get you out."

"I'm not scared of you Dain." She told him. "If anything, you should be scared of me."

"I doubt it." He told her. "You'll kill my cousin if you're not careful."

This time Phoenix pushed him away from her and she hit him full force in the face with her fist. The sound of her fist connecting with Dain's jaw was enough for everyone to turn around and look at them.

"How dare you." She seethed. "The only person that I am going to hurt here is you." She told him. "Now, get away from me or I swear to god you won't see tomorrow's sunrise."

Dain stood his ground to her and as he was about to reach for his sword, Thorin's hand caught his, causing him to let go of his sword.

"I don't think so cousin, do you?" He asked. "Leave her alone." He told him and Dain huffed walking away.

When he was gone, Thorin looked Phoenix over for any wounds and he seemed happy to find that she was fine and mark free; kissing her cheek he looked at the crowd.

"No, despite all that, may I please have everybody's attention." Thorin asked the crowd who remained silent and staring at their king.

Thorin took Phoenix's hand and dragged her with him to stand directly in the centre of the crowd, before he looked at her.

"Phoenix, we have been together for a while now and I cannot imagine being without you." He told her. "I want to spend forever with you at my side." He continued and he heard the gasps from the crowd as he got down on one knee before them. "I'm on my knee now, and I have a very important question for you. Rhavaniel Eccaia, will you marry me?" He asked, producing a small box from his pocket and he opened it showing her the purest of silver ring inside. Phoenix looked at him and she seemed unable to speak, before she started nodding her head, her eyes filling with happy tears. Thorin smiled and as he slid the ring on her finger, applause sounded through the crowd and he pulled her into him, resting his hands on either side of her face as he kissed her deeply and Phoenix could not help the tears that graced her cheeks. When they pulled away from their kiss, Phoenix was suddenly picked up by Dwalin and Gloin and she found the company dancing around and playing music as everyone else danced to the music. As she danced and everyone around her celebrated, she exchanged happy looks with her father and her Uncle and she could not help the happiness that appeared to be radiating from her. Now this was the start of her new life, and she was going to enjoy it all.

 **Translations**

Idir ná entë vanimelda hequa i ara di findë sui mor sui i craban raw : No King is more beautiful and beloved except the king with hair as black as the raven's wing.

Man ná i ind uin spinde? : What is the meaning of the braid?

Hîn sav laew ind, mîl, beren, tû a olea iaur : They have many meanings; love, bold, strength or growing older.


	36. Chapter 36

My Gift To You

It had been a few days since Thorin and Phoenix's engagement and everyone seemed to be getting used to the idea. Phoenix herself seemed to have settled into the prospect of becoming Queen of Erebor fairly well and today it was crossing her mind as she lay in bed looking at her engagement ring as it shone in the light of the sun that burst through the stone window at the far side of the room. She could not keep the smile from her face and it only widened more when she felt arms around her and the familiar scratching of a beard against her skin as soft lips were pressed to her pale shoulder.

"Good morning." A rough voice whispered in her ear.

"Good morning." Phoenix smiled turning back and coming face to face with a semi naked Thorin, shirtless so that she could both see and feel the coarse dark hair on his chest.

"How long have you been awake?" He asked.

"Not long, an hour at most." She told him.

"You should have woken me." He told her, nuzzling his face into the dark tresses of her hair and smelling the scent of fire mixed with a hint of pine and oak that he had come to know only as her scent.

"No, you came to bed late last night, you needed the rest." She told him.

Thorin merely groaned and pulled her tight against him as he continued to nuzzle her hair.

"I love you." He told her.

"I love you too." She told him, kissing his lips gently, before she rested her head on his chest as she lay in bed with him.

"Talk to me." He told her quietly.

"Hmm?" She asked.

"Talk to me in Elvish." He told her. "Please my love."

Phoenix smiled and she moved to sit up slightly so that she could see him. "Nalyë guren hÎr, I anor ye ithil o nín cuil. Inyë ava no bedhin an pen ach tye. An tye innas ui gar guren ye nín ui ye urieb mÎl."

Thorin waited until she had finished speaking before his lips were upon hers. Phoenix had known why he had wanted her to speak in her chosen native tongue as she felt his need pressed against her thigh and it grew more and more with each of the words that she spoke. His voice had the same effect on her when he spoke to her in his own native tongue, so she wasn't going to stop him when she felt the roughness of his tongue as it asked for access to her mouth or the roughness of his hands on her night gown, after all her nightgown resembled close to nothing as it was too short and too see through but only worn in order to please her Dwarf. She was glad to have had it made for him; it had certainly been a treat. She vaguely thought back to the first time that she had worn one of these night gowns to bed with Thorin.

 _She was just leaving the room of the seamstress after having one of her waistcoats fitted again when she saw the material lying on a bench. She was thinking of what to get Thorin for his birthday that week, and they had had numerous amounts of lengthy discussions regarding what the King of Dwarves would enjoy. She already knew that Fili was giving him a new dagger, crafted by his own hand, whilst Kili and Tauriel were giving him a new tunic and a new pair of boots to help in the upcoming winter months. But Phoenix had nothing to give him! She'd asked him again that morning what he wanted and he said that she was a gift enough for him. But now this material had given her an idea._

 _"_ _What material is this?" Phoenix asked the seamstress._

 _"_ _There is no name for it my lady." She told her._

 _"_ _How much of it do you have?" Phoenix asked her, looking over at where the dwarrowdam was sat._

 _"_ _I have much of it; do you like it my lady?" She asked._

 _Phoenix nodded. "I do...Can you make me some nightdresses from it please?" She asked. "I need some more after my others are getting burnt by my body heat." She told her._

 _The woman nodded in sympathy, everyone knew of Phoenix's gift over fire and she saw how hard it was for Phoenix to keep clothes, after all her clothes that she wore on a daily basis were flame proof! The seamstress walked over and started to measure her, though the height was left until last as Phoenix made herself dwarvish height and the lady nodded and began work immediately. Phoenix then left the seamstress happy to know that her gift for Thorin was being made. If he wanted her to be his gift, then so be it. Later that week, after she had collected the finished nightdresses from the Seamstress and hidden them away in her room, Thorin and Phoenix were in the Great Hall, finishing their drinks from the celebration of Thorin's birthday. They had both spent the night having fun and although Phoenix mainly spent the night with Tauriel, Sigrid and Tilda, and short intervals with Thrain who was seemed happy enough with the arrangement that Phoenix and Thorin had set up, the four of them still had their fun. Yet by then, Tilda had fallen asleep on Bain, Sigrid was dancing with Fili and Tauriel was stuck in a slow dance with Ori, until Kili came over and saved her. Phoenix had been watching her friends and godchildren dutifully as she always did when she felt a hand on her waist and she glanced over and found Thorin beside her._

 _She moved closer to him at his touch and she looked at him with slowly tired eyes, it had been a long day of setting up for the celebration and then taking part in the celebration and forcing herself to be nice to Thorin's cousin Dain and his men as well as his sister – Dis. Thorin could see her patience and her ability to stay awake fighting to take priority, and he knew she was sick of his cousin and his sister just as he was, so he slid his hand into hers._

 _"_ _Dance with me." He told her and he led her onto the dance floor where everyone, even his nephews stopped their dancing to watch their King and his lover. They danced together, with Phoenix staying in her elf form, and they soon became oblivious to glares and whispers, especially when Kili and Tauriel also started to dance with them and then Sigrid and Fili joined in. They danced for hours, well into the night until it was long since time for them to retire. By the time people had departed to their rooms, Phoenix and Thorin were some of the only ones left._

 _"_ _You know, you have yet to give me my gift." Thorin told her as he sat in his chair at the table, watching as other couples still danced the night away, though most were too drunk to notice much._

 _"_ _Have I?" She asked from where she sat at his right hand, on a small stool._

 _"_ _Aye." He nodded, still watching the odd couple kiss each other with too much tongue and teeth to be considered decent for public display._

 _"_ _My Lord Thorin, forgive me but my children and I will be retiring for the night." Bard told them as he was soon in front of them._

 _"_ _As you wish, thank you for coming to celebrate with us," Thorin told him as he got to his feet and the two kings clasped each other's wrists in a friendly greeting and then he done the same with Bain, before he received a hug from both of the girls and then they all hugged and kissed Phoenix's cheek before they watched them leave for bed, heading up the rooms that they were shown._

 _Soon the only people left where Thorin and Phoenix and as the two readied themselves to go to Phoenix's room for some sleep, Thrain soon joined them._

 _"_ _Ah, my darling son and hopefully soon-to-be daughter-in-law." Thrain smiled._

 _"_ _Father." Thorin nodded._

 _"_ _Thrain." Phoenix smiled at him._

 _"_ _No, no Phoenix, you can call me father; after all, you and Thorin are as good as married, eh?" He smiled, giving them a sly wink which had Phoenix gaining an uncharacteristic pink blush to her cheeks, but no one seemed to notice as Thrain kept talking to them. "Be a good couple and walk an old dwarf back to his room." He told them and the pair nodded as Thorin let Thrain take Phoenix's arm as they walked._

 _"_ _I must say, you both put on wonderful displays tonight." Thrain commented as they walked._

 _"_ _Do explain, Father." Thorin told him, his voice sounding tired for the first time all night._

 _"_ _I know that Dis and Dain do not approve, but you both handled every remark brilliantly." He praised. "And you both stood together, I saw the looks you gave each other through the night, even when the other one wasn't looking, I've not seen that much love since your mother and I were together."_

 _Thorin visibly drooped at the mention of his mother, but he pulled himself together just in time so that Thrain did not notice, even though Phoenix did. She was quiet as they walked Thrain to his rooms and once he was safe inside, Thorin took her arm and they walked towards his own room._

 _"_ _Are you alright?" She asked when they were in the safety of her room._

 _"_ _Yes." He told her, looking at her as he rested his head in the middle of her shoulder and he slid his arms around her waist. "I am now that I can finally relax."_

 _Phoenix smiled as she felt him press against her back and she felt him truly relax. "Are you relaxed enough to see your present?" She asked._

 _This perked Thorin's interest as he moved away from her back to walk around to face her and he looked at her. "I told you not to get me anything."_

 _"_ _But I have, so you will need to hush up." She told him before she pushed him towards her bed. "Sit." She commanded and he did as he was told as she slid behind a screen where she had left one of her new nightgowns._

 _"_ _What are you doing?" Thorin asked her as he removed his boots._

 _"_ _You said that I was enough of a present for you." She told him from behind the screen._

 _"_ _And you are." He told her, feeling quite confused right now._

 _"_ _Well, I decided to dress it up a bit." She told him and as she walked out from behind the screen Thorin stared at her. The sheer material almost blended in with the paleness of her skin, her dark curls were falling down her back in waves of ebony beauty, and she was looking at him with a look that was something he had seen in her eyes before, it was hunger, an unsatisfied hunger, but not for food or drink...for him! That night it was safe to say that neither of them was interrupted, if the sounds of moans and screams of pleasure were anything to go by, even the guards abandoned their post for the night to give their King and his lover some privacy._

That was certainly what was about to happen right then as she felt Thorin's rough and calloused hands, forged from daily sword work, battle training and black smiting, slide over the fabric of her nightgown. Despite both of them knowing that they would not have long to enjoy this moment, their touches were anything but rushed. They had not had any time to appreciate their engagement or to bask in the glow that came with Thorin seeing Phoenix wearing his ring, so now they wanted to make up for lost time. Thorin pulled up the nightdress so that he could feel the smooth skin of her stomach and he eventually pushed it all the way off, knowing that Phoenix would not be grateful if he ripped one of her very limited number of night clothes. When it was off and discarded on the floor, he laid Phoenix back so that he could see her in all of her naked glory. The rush of cold air against her heated skin sent a shiver up her body and made her nipples stand out against her pale skin but Thorin loved it. He worshipped her body like it was that of a deity, she was his goddess and his alone. He glanced up just in time to see her reach for the bangle to change her height so that she was shorter than him but he reached up and stopped her.

"Nai." He told her simply, and he felt her shiver at something and he was not sure whether it was the tone of his voice or the fact he spoke in Khazudul which turned her on more but he was not going to question it. His hands travelled down her velvet skin from her bracelet to her shoulder to the top of her breast and his hand ghosted a touch to one, feeling her rapid heartbeat in her chest to the warmth of the fire in her veins. She was a vision of beauty, as he travelled further he felt the scars that she had gained in her long life, most scars he gave her when she fought for him and his kin, and whilst they dwelled him in sadness he quickly pushed it aside he was going to be the husband to the fire ranger of the north, that to him was an honour. He pressed kisses to each one of the scars, his beard scratching against her skin but she had no complaints.

He kissed her skin without complaint, kissed each mark and each blemish. Her soft whimpers of pleasure at his kisses spurred him on more. He reached the base of her stomach and he was almost frozen in place at feeling the heat radiating from her core, even now it felt so good to him and he could wait no longer and he suddenly delved in, and the minute his mouth was on her Phoenix almost screamed her release right there.

"Oh gods, Thorin!" She moaned as her hands wound into his still messy dark locks.

He was spurred on by her moans and whispers as he ravished the sacred place between her legs. Her juices were sweet to the taste making him hungry for more. Brushing his mouth against the little nub made Phoenix's blood race and Thorin felt the buck of her hips and the feeling of her hands tightening in his hair.

"Thorin, Thorin stop." She gasped out as she felt herself getting close to that edge.

At hearing her, Thorin pushed himself up to hover over her and he moved up her body to kiss her soft lips. He deepened the kiss as he felt Phoenix's hands caress his toned arms, and gently slide down his well muscled chest. Suddenly he found himself lying on the bed and it took him a few minutes to realise that Phoenix had pinned him down on the bed, her body straddling his waist against his straining erection that was still covered by his pants. This position seemed to take the King by surprise; after all they had only ever attempted one other position than the common one of him on top. Yet looking up at her in all her beauty and glory he felt star struck and he doubted that this feeling was ever going to go away. Thorin watched as this dark haired goddess moved further down his legs and pulled at the string of his pants until they fell open and his erection sprung free. This was certainly not the first time that she had seen him in all his glory, but it never failed to take him by surprise. Pulling off his pants she glanced up at him through her eyelashes and she saw the want and need in his eyes as she hovered near his erection the anticipation burning his eyes. She kept her eyes on his face and she watched him as she took the head of his member into her mouth, she saw the pained look of pleasure in his eyes and she heard his sharp intake of breath as she gently sucked on the tip. He bit onto his lip as he felt more of his member slide into Phoenix's mouth and one of his hands grabbed her hair roughly. As she continued to bob her head on his member Thorin felt himself being pushed closer to the edge.

"By the gods." He gritted out. "Phoenix...Stop." He gasped as he sat up and he pulled her up to him by the grip on her hair and he mashed their lips together.

Phoenix moved her hands into his hair and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he pulled her closer their sexes pressed together making them both moan into the kiss.

"Thorin, take me." She whispered against his lips and as he made to flip them over she stopped him. "No, take me as we are." She told him, her voice oozing sex and a hidden fire that burnt him to the core. He yearned to be inside her, to love her like no one else could. He planned to bury himself to the hilt inside her hot wet cavern so without warning he thrust his hips forward, swallowing her scream of pleasure and surprise with a kiss. Letting her adjust he quickly started a rhythm, a slow torturous rhythm with strong strokes using his grip under her buttocks and his strength to slide her up and down his length.

After a few minutes Phoenix set the pace herself, her hips moving in the one way that she knew would drive pleasure to the pair of them.

"Ugh...Oh gods...Phoenix..." Thorin groaned as he slammed his hips to meet hers.

His actions elicited groans and moans from her and she moved her hands to his neck sliding her nails down his back making him moan and bite down on her shoulder making her scream in ecstasy.

"Thorin! Yes!...Uhgn right there..." She moaned and she looked at him as she panted for breath. "Thîr na ni." She whispered watching him look up to her. "Ni iest tíra tye tolo heke mi nin, nín mîl." She told him between pants.

Thorin let their eyes meet and the sight of her beautiful darkened eyes was almost enough to make him come right there. Suddenly he flipped them over so that he was on top of her plunged back into her warm and inviting centre with new abandon.

"Oh gods!" Phoenix screamed. "Uhgn there! Right there Thorin!" She moaned, feeling him hit that sweet spot inside her that caused her to see stars. "I'm close Thorin."

"Come for me my love." Thorin told her and after a few more hard thrusts inside he felt her walls clamp down around him as she cried his name for all of the gods and the whole of Erebor to hear. Thorin kept thrusting inside of her, intent to keep her riding out her orgasm for as long as possible. Watching her come undone meant that it did not take long for him to near his own end and after a few more hard thrusts he thrust himself deep inside her as he came with a cry of her name, spilling his seed inside her. Fully sated and exhausted, Thorin slipped out of her and the two settled back under the blanket, enjoying the cuddling that came to them after sex such as that. However they did not get to enjoy it for long as there was a fierce knocking the door and Phoenix groaned before she kissed Thorin's lips gently and she pulled on her night gown and a shawl to keep her shoulders warm as she made her way to the door and pulled it open finding Dwalin on the other side.

"Dwalin...what can I do for you?" Phoenix asked.

"Thorin needs to get out of bed, there's trouble in the hall." Dwalin told her.

"What trouble?" Thorin groaned from the bed.

"Thranduil is about to lay his hands on Tauriel." Dwalin told them and Phoenix tensed.

"Give me two seconds and I'll sort it." She told him, closing the door and getting dressed as Thorin got up as well and threw on his clothes as Phoenix walked to him fully dressed, tying her weapons belt around her waist. It still surprised him how Phoenix could have gotten dressed and done her other two braids to match the one he had done for her all while he had only just got his pants and one boot on.

"How do you get dressed so quickly?" He asked her.

Phoenix simply shrugged. "When you are one outcast against a large elfling population that hated you, you learnt to be fast at things." She shrugged as she slid on her own boots.

Thorin nodded. "Just be careful."

"Don't worry my father will most likely be there as well, so I won't be hurt." She told him. "But you need to find Kili if Thranduil's saying harsh words to her, then it means that Kili isn't present."

Thorin nodded and as Phoenix left he dressed in haste and he then set off looking for his nephew.

Dwalin led Phoenix down towards where they could hear Thranduil yelling at Tauriel and many words were said in Elvish yet Dwalin could tell by the way that Phoenix tensed they were not nice words.

"Thranduil, that's enough!" Phoenix suddenly shouted and it shut not only Thranduil up by everyone else who had gathered. Thranduil stared at his niece and she strode over, her swords strapped to her waist as she removed the hand that Thranduil had on Tauriel's arm and she stood between them.

"What is the meaning of this?" She mainly guided her question to Thranduil.

"I was merely teaching this insolent elfling what happens when she disobeys her King." Thranduil told her.

"If you raise a hand to her once more Uncle then what I will do to you make dragon fire look like a sea breeze." Phoenix threatened. "Do not touch her again, especially not while she is with child." Phoenix warned him. "Do you understand?"

Thranduil looked at her and Phoenix looked back at him her eyes shining red with the hint of a flame, she was not messing around.

"This is the part where you walk away." Phoenix told him and this time Thranduil left them to it walking away.

As he walked away Phoenix looked at Tauriel who had her hands resting on her small baby bump.

"Are you alright?" Phoenix asked her and at her nod she looked at Dwalin.

"Take her to her room, make sure she rests, we don't want anything to happen to the baby." She told him.

With a nod, Dwalin took Tauriel away to her room and he promised to let Kili know where she was and Phoenix went off to spend time with Arwen.

As she went off to find her sister, Phoenix was suddenly stopped by a dwarrowdam that she really did not want to see - Thorin's sister Dis.

"Is it true?" She demanded from Phoenix who looked at her.

"Is what true?" Phoenix asked, prepared to reach for her swords in her belt if need be.

"Calm yourself girl, I wish to know whether my youngest will soon be a father." Dis told her.

Phoenix took a few seconds to answer her, as it was painfully obvious that Tauriel was pregnant, after all, Tauriel did not eat enough to get fat by food. "Yes." Phoenix answered her. "It is a blessing and I would like you to not ruin it."

"I do not plan to, I wish for my son to be happy." Dis told her. "And if this elf makes him happy then I cannot stand in their way."

Phoenix looked at the dwarrowdam beside her, for weeks she had been trying to break not only Kili and Tauriel's relationship up but hers and Thorin's as well, what changed?

"What changed your mind?" She asked.

"The other night when Dain tried to dismember you and Thorin intervened, and then when he got you to the dance floor and he danced with you and finally preceded to ask for your hand in front of the whole of Erebor, Dale and your kin, I knew I had to accept my defeat my brother was in love." Dis told her. "The look he gave you was the same that Kili gave to the elf, and I knew that I had lost them both to the throws of love."

Phoenix looked at the dwarrowdam before her and she could not help but smile. "Lady Dis I think you and I are going to be very good friends."

Dis smiled. "I hope we can be." She told her before she left her to carry on walking.

Phoenix got to the end of the corridor before she felt a strange feeling in her stomach. It was almost like a flutter but she couldn't be sure. As she pressed her hand to her stomach the flutter got worse and then there was a faint whisper of something that she could not quite make out. The word was Elvish but she did not fully hear it, so she decided not to dwell on it, it was probably a thought of hers or someone else talking, after all elf ears were sensitive to many sounds. She continued walking until she came to a courtyard and she found Arwen sat on a stone bench, her father's guards not far away.

"Arwen." She spoke, her voice soft and Arwen got to her feet walking over to her and she hugged her.

"Mell neth." She greeted before she looked at the guards. "You can go now, my sister will protect me." Arwen to the guards and they both bowed to her and walked away.

"It's lovely to see you Phoenix." Arwen told her.

"As it is to see you, Arwen." Phoenix told her.

"Thorin certainly caused a stir the other night when he proposed to you, I thought Ada would burst with pride whilst Thranduil would burst with rage." Arwen giggled as she walked in a direction with Phoenix.

"It's about time Thranduil realised that he can't control everyone just because he wears a crown." Phoenix told her as they walked out of Erebor and down towards Dale. The two walked in silence, simply enjoying each other's company until they heard paws on the dirt road that they were travelling along.

"Hello Uldoniair." Arwen greeted the wolf who nudged its head against her hand.

"Where have you been Uldoniair?" Phoenix asked kneeling down to wolf's height and she stroked her face.

The wolf looked at her and Arwen smiled as she watched the exchange of looks. She was normally amazed at the amount of information that could be gathered just by the two looking at each other, it was almost like Uldoniair and Phoenix had their own language. Eventually Phoenix got back to her feet in just enough time for a rider to ride towards them shouting something that Arwen didn't understand but Phoenix clearly did as she drew her swords.

"Arwen behind me, Uldoniair protect Arwen." Phoenix ordered and both Arwen and Uldoniair done as she said.

"What is your business?" Phoenix asked.

"You are trespassing." He sneered.

"We are travelling to visit our friends." Phoenix told him. "I am Phoenix, fire ranger of the North and princess of Erebor and lady of Rivendell." Phoenix introduced. "This is the Lady Arwen Uldomiel, Lady of Rivendell and my wolf Uldoniair of the Valley of Peace." She gestured to the two, keeping her swords out in case she needed them.

"I don't believe you." He sneered, jumping down from his horse his sword held out to Phoenix. "You three will leave immediately."

"I don't think so." Phoenix told him. "You will take us to Bard, King of Dale and you will put your sword away young boy." Phoenix taunted.

He looked ready to run his sword straight through Phoenix and that was what he almost did until Phoenix disarmed him and held one of her swords to her neck as she hit him to the floor.

"You will take us to Bard." Phoenix told him and as he reached for his sword, and she kicked it out of reach. "Arwen pick up his sword."

As Arwen done as she asked, Phoenix took the horses reigns and Uldoniair growled at the man as they took him towards Dale.

They reached Dale a while later and they made their way to Bards house where Sigrid was walking inside with the basket of fish.

"Phoenix, Arwen, I thought that you weren't coming by until later." Sigrid queried.

"Sigrid is your father home?" Phoenix asked and Sigrid could see the anger in her eyes as she spoke.

"Um...Yes I think so, hold on." She ran inside. "Da', come quickly!"

They heard the thundering of Bards boots on the floor as he ran out and he took in the scene before him. "What is the meaning of this?" Bard asked.

"Your little guard here tried to kill us." Phoenix told him as she kicked the man to the ground.

"Is this true?" Bard growled at the man.

"Sir, they are trespassers." He told them.

"Phoenix is the godmother to my children." Bard growled. "She is the future wife of the dwarven King, and her sister is a Lady of Rivendell, you dare to call them trespassers!" He growled and Phoenix handed him the man's sword.

"Phoenix please accept my most humble apologies, I did not know that he would be so foolish." Bard told her.

"I hope that he will pay for his mistake." Phoenix told them.

"He will." He looked at some other guards who had come over. "Take him to the cells; he can be left there until I find a punishment to suit him."

The guards nodded and dragged the man away, however he suddenly shook them off and ran at Phoenix and Arwen, a knife held high, but was suddenly thrown off balance by Uldoniair jumping at him yet he still managed to scratch Phoenix's side with the blade as they both fell the floor.

"Phoenix!" Sigrid and Arwen shouted and Phoenix quickly got to her feet before she kicked the knife from the guard's hands and the others were able to drag him away.

"Phoenix, are you alright?" Bard asked her. "You're bleeding."

Phoenix looked down at the cut and she touched it with her fingers, looking at the blood.

"It's not that deep." Phoenix told them.

"It still needs to be looked at, bring me a healer." Bard ordered and he ushered a reluctant Phoenix into his house.

Bard watched as a healer came into the house and she took Phoenix behind a screen to clean and bind her wound and when they were finished the healer left and Phoenix put her clothes and weapons belt back on.

"Would you like to stay for bread?" He asked. "Tilda and Sigrid spent most of the morning making it."

"Please that would be lovely." Arwen told them as Phoenix sat at the table with them and they were soon joined by Tilda, Bain and Bard as Sigrid served up the bread. They all sat and talked, well Tilda did most of the talking, Phoenix just tended to listen, yet she did look a bit distracted.

Suddenly she felt the strange flutter in her stomach once more and she quietly excused herself to get herself a drink. As she was filling her cup from the jug of water that had been put aside she closed her eyes allowing her senses to focus on the flutters and suddenly she heard something.

 _"_ _Nín emmë."_

The voice sounded foreign, someone that she had never heard before yet when she realised that it came from her stomach the cup that she was holding clattered to the floor. At the sound of the cup hitting the floor, everyone at the table stopped and there was a scream from Sigrid and Tilda as they all saw Phoenix fall to the floor in a faint. When she eventually woke up, Phoenix found herself staring up at the ceiling, Arwen and Sigrid sitting either side of her as Uldoniair lay with her head on her stomach.

"What happened?" Phoenix asked.

"You fainted." Arwen told her, dabbing a damp cloth to her sister's forehead as she looked at Sigrid. "Go and tell them that she's awake."

"Tell who?" Phoenix asked as she sat up but was pushed back down by both Uldoniair and Arwen.

"Thorin, father and Bard." Arwen explained.

"Why are our father and Thorin here?" Phoenix asked.

"Phoenix, you fainted, this was something that we needed to know."

Thorin's voice almost made her jump but she groaned as she found him sitting on the edge of the bed next to her.

"How are you feeling?" He asked her, taking a hand in his.

"I feel fine...I don't know what happened." Phoenix told him.

"No but you do know something, don't you nín iell." Elrond told her.

Phoenix looked at him. "Ada I did not know what it was this morning but I heard it." She whispered.

"Heard what Phoenix?" Thorin asked.

"Thorin you're going to be a father." Elrond told him.

"What?" Thorin asked, completely shell shocked.

"When Elvish children are conceived they are able to talk to their mother whilst in the womb, your child is part elf and the shock of hearing the child's voice was probably what made Phoenix faint." Elrond explained.

Phoenix looked between Thorin and Elrond and she was worried. Elrond looked emotionless but he did have a small look of pleasure and pride on his face whilst Thorin had frozen not looking at anything nor having any emotion.

"Thorin, talk to me, please amralimé." Phoenix told him.

"I'm going to be a father..." He whispered. "I'm going to be a father...I'm going to be a father!" He suddenly shouted his face lighting up in joy and delight.

Phoenix could not help but smile and with the help of her sister she got to her feet and as soon as she was standing Thorin picked her up in his arms and swung her round.

"Oh Phoenix this is joyous." He smiled.

"Thorin be careful with her." Elrond chuckled.

"Aye King Thorin this is wonderful news." Bard told him as he patted Thorin's shoulder once Phoenix had been put on her feet.

Thorin looked at him. "Thank you Bard." He watched as the King of Dales children came and hugged their godmother the youngest already talking about making gifts for the baby.

"Maybe Sigrid could show you how to make them." Phoenix suggested after the child had said something that no one else heard.

"We should head back to Erebor it's getting late." Thorin told them and when Phoenix saw the setting sun she realised how late it was.

"Yes we must get going." Phoenix agreed before she looked at her father and noticed his travelling clothes. "You are not staying?"

"Forgive me my daughter but we are needed back in Rivendell." Elrond told her.

"Do send word to let me know that you got home safely, and give my love to my brothers." She told him as they shared a hug.

"Of course." Elrond nodded. "Your brothers will no doubt come and visit when we tell them of the child."

"No doubt." Phoenix smiled and Elrond shared a smile, hugging her and once she and Arwen had said their goodbyes with a promise for Phoenix to keep Arwen updated on her child, Phoenix and Thorin watched them go before he helped her into his ram.

"Do not be a stranger." Bard told them.

"We won't." Thorin promised. "Oh and Sigrid, Fili will be over tomorrow."

Sigrid nodded. "Thank you Thorin." She smiled.

As Thorin led the ram back towards Erebor, with Uldoniair following at his side, Phoenix was confined to the saddle.

"You know that I can walk right?"

"I do, but I want you to take it easy today." Thorin told her.

"Okay." She shrugged and as they reached Erebor she looked down at him. "May I get down now?"

"Of course." He rested his hands on either side of her waist and he helped her down onto her feet before one of the dwarves working in the stable took the ram to be cared for and Thorin walked Phoenix back into the halls of Erebor, his arm around her waist.

"Lady Phoenix, are you alright?"

The speaker made Thorin fall under surprise as he recognised it to be the voice of his sister.

"Lady Dis, I am well." She told her and the civility between the two surprised Thorin further.

"More than well." Thorin told her. "Dear sister, may you join Phoenix and I in her chambers? I believe that she will need to find help a dress for our announcement tonight." Thorin told her.

"Of course, I will meet you there." She told them and she watched the two walk away towards Phoenix's chambers.

When they got to her chambers, Phoenix looked at him. "Thorin, I did not realise that we would be making this announcement so soon."

"I believe that this is the right time Phoenix." Thorin told her. "I want the world to know that our child is growing inside of you right now, and that he or she will be the crowned heir of Erebor when I finally pass on."

This made Phoenix sigh and she walked over to her table which held her hairbrush and bands to tie her hair back. As she set about brushing her hair, they did not need to wait for long before there was a knock on the door and Dis let herself in, holding something in her arms.

"Right, I have a gift for you Phoenix." She told her, bringing her behind a screen before Thorin could stop her. "You stay there my brother."

Thorin had no choice but to wait as Dis helped his fiancée to dress. Dis busied herself with talking to Phoenix as she helped her to dress and as she reached Phoenix's stomach she stopped.

"Dis, what is it?" Thorin asked when his sister stopped speaking.

"Mahal Thorin, do you know?" She asked.

"He does know." Phoenix told her.

"How long has the pair of you known, about this?" Dis asked her voice sharp.

"We only found out today." Thorin told her. "Phoenix heard the child speak."

"How is that possible?" Dis asked.

"It's an elvish thing, the child can speak to their mother whilst they are in the womb, and it brings the mother and child closer and builds the bond greater." Phoenix told them.

"My grandchild will have someone to play with." Dis smiled.

"Of course." Phoenix agreed and they both walked back out from the screen, Dis holding Phoenix's hand and Thorin smiled in disbelief. The gown was made of the finest dwarven silk, the colour as red as the morning sky and it was covered in small diamonds and gems, and he watched as Dis styled Phoenix's long brunette curls and secured then in place with a jewelled flower.

When they were finished, Phoenix stood to her full Elvish height and she looked at Dis and Thorin.

"You look beautiful." Thorin told her.

"Like a proper dwarven princess." Dis told her. "Do not worry I have already given Tauriel a dress and hair pin."

Phoenix smiled. "I thank you Lady Dis, this gift is too much when I have nothing else to give you in return."

"Nonsense, you make my brother happy and this is the greatest gift that you could ever give me." Dis told her gently touching her shoulder.

"Surely there is something else that I can do for you?" Phoenix told her.

"There is one thing I ask." Dis told her.

"What is it?" Phoenix asked.

"I wish to ask that you allow me to be the first to know everything about this child besides Thorin of course." Dis told her and she noticed that Thorin couldn't keep the smile from his face as he watched the two women.

"If that is what you wish then of course you will." Phoenix told her.

"I have asked the same from Tauriel and Kili." Dis smiled. "Now let us go and join Tauriel whilst my brother and sons go and get ready." She looked pointedly at her brother who kissed Phoenix's cheek and left the room whilst the two women walked towards Tauriel's room, stopping at Dis' room so that she could also change into a sapphire blue gown with the same hair pain as Phoenix only it was a deep blue. When Dis was ready she walked with Phoenix towards Tauriel's room only to find the door ajar.

 **Translations**

Nai : No

ThÎr na ni – Look at me

Ni iest tíra tye tolo heke mi nin, nín mÎl : I wish to see you come within me, my love

Mell neth : Dear sister

Nín emmë : My mummy

Nín iell : My daughter

Amralimé : My Love


	37. Chapter 37

Good and Bad Announcements

At finding the door ajar, Phoenix was about to stand before Dis as protection, but Dis pushed her out of the way, giving her a stern look.

"You and your child are more precious than I lass." Dis told her and she knocked on Tauriel's bedroom door with a heavy hand. "Tauriel lass, are you alright?"

As they waited for a reply, Oin opened the door and he seemed surprised to find them there.

"Lady Phoenix, Lady Dis, the Lady Tauriel is fine, she merely asked me here to give her something for her morning sickness." He told them, before he bowed and excused himself, letting the women walk into the room.

Upon entering the room, they found Tauriel dressed in the emerald green dress that Dis had given her, her hair falling down her back in a mixture of braids hidden amongst the long locks of her hair, and fastened with the jewelled flower. However, she was sat in a chair by the fireplace, watching the flames dance on their own as she gently rubbed her stomach.

"Tauriel, are you alright?" Dis asked.

At her voice, Tauriel looked at her as she leant forward to grasp a cup of what Phoenix presumed to be an herbal tea.

"I am Lady Dis, it's just the sickness." Tauriel told her.

"I thought morning sickness was only for the mornings." Phoenix commented, sitting in another chair watching the flames, as Dis sat in the one in between.

"Tauriel, sweetheart, if you do not feel well enough to come to the banquet then you don't have to go." Dis told her, gently stroking her hand that was not holding the cup.

"I know that Lady Dis, and I thank you for the reminder, but I feel that I must go, I need to support my lover." Tauriel told her.

"Jesus, Kili needs to marry you soon." Phoenix told her playfully.

"I am fine with breaking tradition Phoenix." Tauriel told her.

"I should hope so." Phoenix told her and they smiled at each other.

Dis watched the exchange between the two women fondly; she could see what enamoured her brother and her son and made the company that had helped Thorin in his task adore them so. They were not like the other elves; they were carefree, wise and did not hesitate to stand for what they thought to be right. Phoenix and Tauriel were two women that Dis was proud to be related to through their marriage to her brother and youngest son. However, as there was a knock on the door, Dis snapped out of her daydream and walked over to answer it. On the other side, was Baztia, Phoenix's guard and also now a good friend.

"Ah Baztia, you're back on duty I see." Dis spoke and Baztia bowed her head.

"Yes my lady." She told her. "The King reinstated me so that I could help care for the lady Phoenix."

"Baztia, I have missed you being at my side, my good friend." Phoenix told her as she walked over and slid her arms around Baztia, who reciprocated the hug.

"And I have missed you too, your highness." She told her. "Whilst I do enjoy meeting that curious sister of yours, I do wish to be around someone more like you."

"Yes, Arwen can get quite carried away with her questions." Phoenix smiled in apology. "But she meant no harm Baztia."

"Aye my lady, I knew that." She told her with a smile. "Now I have been asked by the king to accompany the three of you into the hall for dinner, the King and the princes are already seated."

"Right then, well, let us be off." Dis spoke, clapping her hands together and she looked back at Tauriel who was getting herself to her feet.

"Are you going to be alright Tauriel?" Phoenix asked.

"I will be." She nodded and soon they were all walking towards the banquet hall.

"Now remember lass, Tauriel will be introduced first, then I will and then you." Dis was telling Phoenix. "You are to be queen now."

"I know Dis." Phoenix told her and Dis noticed a worried edge to her tone.

"What has you worried?" Dis asked and Phoenix looked at her.

"Nothing Dis, I am perfectly fine." Phoenix told her and though Dis was not convinced, she let it go.

Together, the three stood there and one by one, they were announced, until it was only Phoenix stood in the hallway.

"Announcing, Rhavaniel Eccaia, the Fire Ranger of the North, future queen of Erebor."

At the announcement, the doors opened and for once, she was not met with hostility, in fact it was adoration as the entire room stood. Now that Dain and Thranduil had left with their men, Phoenix was able to be met with love and care from the other dwarves and it made her smile slightly. As she walked to take her seat beside her future husband, the dwarves she passed all bowed to her. Only when she was sat in her seat beside Thorin did everyone take their seats. They ate in moderate silence; a few quiet conversations started here and there, nothing too rowdy, even Thorin engaged in conversation with the other dwarves, though he kept stealing glances at his future wife. Eventually, Thorin got to his feet and he called for the room's attention and suddenly all eyes were on him.

"Now, I would like to make an announcement." Thorin told them. "As you all know, my youngest nephew and his love are due to have a child soon." He looked to Tauriel and Kili who shared a smile with each other as Kili rested his hand on Tauriel's small baby bump. "But I would like you to raise your ale to my soon-to-be wife as she told me today, that she too is expecting a child, the future heir of Erebor." He picked up his mug of mead, just as the rest of the dwarves and Tauriel did and they all looked at Phoenix. "To Phoenix."

"To Phoenix." The crowd chorused and suddenly the conversations became more animated and Fili leaned over from where he sat next to Phoenix and patted her hand.

"Congratulations Phoenix." He smiled. "You'll make a great mother."

Phoenix gently squeezed his hand and she smiled. "Thank you Fili." She looked up as music started and suddenly Fili was on his feet.

"May I trouble my soon-to-be aunt for a dance?" He asked.

Phoenix smiled and she got to her feet. "Well, it would not be good of me to refuse my soon-to-be nephew."

When she was on her feet, she gave Thorin a smile who was watching them happily as Fili led Phoenix out onto the open space and they started to dance together. The dance was neither slow nor fast; it was a paced waltz along the floor. The night passed with humour, drink and dancing, much like any other night in Erebor, only now, Phoenix and Tauriel were at their happiest.

The next morning, Tauriel and Phoenix were walking along the bank of the river that flowed to the side of Erebor. Uldoniair was staying close to her mistress as the two walked, Baztia and Dwalin remaining ever present as a precaution.

"So, how did Oin say the pregnancy was going?" Phoenix asked as she threw some form of cloth ball and they watched Uldoniair run ahead after it.

"He said that things were going well..." Tauriel told her, she had been watching the floor for a while now and Phoenix was worried.

"That does not sound so sure." She told her. "What else is there?"

"He believes that I could be carrying twins." Tauriel told her.

"Tauriel that is amazing." Phoenix told them as she brought her friend to a stop and they looked at each other. "Does Kili know?" She asked, trying and failing to keep the smile from her face.

"No, he doesn't know yet...I have not found the time to tell him." Tauriel explained.

"Well, we must tell him tonight, this is a double celebration." Phoenix told her, before she noticed a look on Tauriel's face. "What has you worried?"

"What is something goes wrong?" Tauriel asked, sitting on a rock and Phoenix sat next to her. "Elves do not have more than one baby per pregnancy."

"Nothing will go wrong." Phoenix promised. "I know this isn't conventional for elves to have more than one child per pregnancy, and I don't know about dwarves, but everything will be fine."

"I cannot help but worry." Tauriel told her, her hands resting on her stomach. "I do not want to leave Kili alone with our babies if I do not survive."

Phoenix looked at her. "You don't seriously think that I would let you die do you?" She asked.

"I do not feel right asking you to give me back my life after the Eldar has taken it." Tauriel told her. "It is selfish of me."

"Believe me, it isn't." She told her. "You're my closest friend Tauriel; I would not risk losing you for anything in the world."

Tauriel smiled to her and they continued walking, Uldoniair remaining at their side, staying particularly close to her mistress.

They returned to Erebor just in time for dinner and they joined Kili, Thorin, Fili, Dis and Thrain in the family dining hall, where the two kept stealing glances to each other as Dis fussed around Tauriel about her bump and ensuring that she was eating.

"Tauriel dear, you need to eat." Dis told her. "Even if it's some soup, you need nourishment."

"Especially now." Phoenix commented and everyone looked at her.

"What do you mean lass?" Thrain asked.

"What do you know love?" Thorin asked her, gently resting a hand on hers.

"You will have to ask Tauriel." She told them.

Tauriel shared a soft smile with her before she seemed to take a deep breath. "I have some news to share."

"Is it the baby?" Kili asked. "Is he alright?"

"Kili, it might be a girl." Dis told him, before she looked back at Tauriel. "What is it dear?"

"Oin believes that I am carrying twins." Tauriel told them before she took a sip of her drink, leaving everyone speechless, except for Phoenix who finished her soup.

"Oh gods...Two..." With that Kili slid out of his chair in a faint.

This seemed to amuse Phoenix who giggled, before she frowned at Dis' comments. "Tauriel I am so sorry."

"What is there to be sorry for?" Tauriel asked.

"For you to have twins...To dwarves at least...Means that the babies won't survive if there were any complications." Dis explained.

"Well aren't we a negative bunch." Phoenix commented. "Look, we don't know what will happen; I have already sent word to Rivendell to ask my father for any advice from my mother." She told them. "Now Tauriel and the babies will be fine, there will be no complications and you're forgetting that if something tragic was to befall them, then I could always bring them back."

Everyone seemed to consider this and they all realised that she was right, they had nothing to worry about...and then they remembered that Kili was unconscious on the floor.

"Someone needs to get Kili up." Phoenix told them and Dis ran to her youngest son as Fili tipped some water over his face, startling him awake.

When he was fully conscious, he made his way to Tauriel and pulled her into a tight hug, peppering kisses to her face and neck. Watching them, Phoenix looked at Thorin who smiled and wrapped one of her hands in his as the other gently rested on her still flat stomach.

Months passed after the announcement of Tauriel and Kili having twins and the whole of Erebor was buzzing with joy and preparations for the birth. Tauriel was due in a number of days and both Tauriel and Kili had been going through the notes that Phoenix's mother had made and given to both Thranduil and Elrond for Phoenix in the future. There was nothing that they would be unprepared for and it gave Tauriel and Kili some encouragement for the upcoming day. One morning, Phoenix had remained in bed a lot longer than normal, simply staring at the ceiling of hers and Thorin's bedroom. Only when Uldoniair decided to jump on the bed did Phoenix decide to rise, however as she sat up, she was hit with a tense pain in her abdomen. Uldoniair whimpered in worry as she watched her mistress fight to breathe through the sudden rush of pain.

"I'm...Fine..." Phoenix told her wolf, who continued to watch her and she whined louder as both she and Phoenix say a patch of red start appearing on Phoenix's night dress. "Okay...I need to go to Oin..."

She quickly got herself dressed and with Uldoniair following she made her way to Oin's study. Knocking on the door, Oin answered almost immediately.

"Your highness, come on in." He told her. "What can I do for you?"

"Oin...I think I'm having a miscarriage." She told him, telling him the events of that morning and Oin immediately helped up onto his examining bed in the corner of his office. After a few minutes of examination, the grim look on his face was all Phoenix needed to know – her baby was dead.

"I'm so sorry." He told her.

"Me too." She whispered. "Does anything else need to be done?"

"No lass, you weren't that far gone, the...What left will makes its way out naturally...I just recommend that you and the King do not engage in any activities in the bedroom for a while." Oin told her as Phoenix dressed and he handed her some herbs for the pain, before she left. She was looking for Thorin and she found him in the training arena, training against Dwalin.

"Thorin." She called down from where she stood and both of the dwarves stopped, looking up at her. "I need to speak to you."

Thorin nodded and waited for her to join him, and when she did, Phoenix slid her arms around him, holding herself to his front.

"My love, what is it?" He asked.

However, before she could tell him what had happened, Dis and Baztia ran towards them, shouting for Phoenix.

"Phoenix lass, come quickly, it's Tauriel." Dis told her.

"What about Tauriel, is she alright?" Phoenix asked.

"The babies are on their way." Baztia told her.

Phoenix looked at Thorin, she really should tell him, but he pushed her towards his sister, telling her that they would talk later and she sighed to herself before Phoenix ran up to Tauriel's rooms.

Upon reaching the rooms, they found Kili pacing outside with Fili sat in a chair watching and when he saw Phoenix he walked to her.

"Help her." Kili pleaded. "Please."

Phoenix rested a hand on his shoulder. "I will." She promised, before she took her waistcoat off and handed it to him and she walked into the room where they were a cry of pain. Inside the room she found Tauriel lying in her bed, her legs up, midwives crowding round all commanding her to do things in an old dwarvish language.

"She cannot understand you." She told them and she walked to Tauriel petting her hair. "It's alright my friend, I'm here." She slid one of her hand into Tauriel's. "We will do this together."

"Alright Tauriel, we need you to push." Dis told her. "On the next contraction push as hard as you can lass."

Tauriel nodded through gritted teeth, and she gripped Phoenix's hand tighter as she let out a groan of pain as another contraction tore through her. Phoenix did not know how long this carried on for, but soon there was a shrill cry followed a short while later by another and Tauriel lay back in the bed exhausted. Looking to Phoenix, Tauriel beckoned her to go and look at the babies. Phoenix walked over and she saw the two faces of the children and she smiled softly, tears threatening to fall.

"Two sons, two sons of the line of Durin." She heard the midwife announce to those outside of the room and she heard the congratulations of her fiancée, Fili, Dwalin and many others.

"Soon it will be you." Tauriel told her with a soft and tired voice.

"No...Not for me." She told her.

"What do you mean?" Dis asked her, and suddenly it hit her and she pulled Phoenix into a hug. "Oh my dear, I'm so sorry, we should not have called upon you."

"I was needed, it could not be helped." She told her, pulling away from the hug. "Now, I think it's time to bring the father in to meet his sons." She walked to the door and held it open. "Kili." She watched him walk to her, the poor prince looked to be in a daze as he handed her the waistcoat and she watched him walk straight to Tauriel and his mother who was gently petting Tauriel's hair.

When everyone else had filed into the room, Phoenix disappeared into the shadows, walking away from the rooms. Thorin looked around for her after meeting the two children but was found by his sister.

"She needs you." Dis told him. "Do not let her go through this alone."

Thorin had no idea what his sister was on about, but he went looking for Phoenix anyway and he found her at the bridge overlooking the lands outside of Erebor, her arms folded on top of the wall, her head resting on them as she watched the moon.

"It is exciting isn't it?" He asked her, standing beside her.

"It is." She told him.

"Soon it will be our turn." He told her, moving to slide his arms around her, but as his arms rested on her stomach she moved away out of his grip. "My love, what is the matter?"

"When I came to see you today...Something has happened..." She told him.

"You've miscarried." He told her and he sighed as she nodded, crumbling into tears.

"I'm so sorry Thorin..." She sobbed and he pulled her into him letting her cry. "Hush now my love, we can always try again."

She nodded slightly. "I'm just sorry...I carry the child, it should be my job to keep them safe in my womb and help them grow...I've failed."

"It's not your fault...Sometimes these things cannot be helped, it's just not our turn to have children yet." He told her, kissing her head. "Come on, let us get some rest, we can see the babies in the morning."

She nodded and they walked together to their room, where Thorin watched her get changed for bed and when she was settled under the blankets, he joined her and as she fell asleep against him, Thorin watched her sleep, looking at her stomach.

"I'm sorry I could not protect you." He told her stomach quietly.

Looking to the ground as he heard a cry, he found Uldoniair looking up at him and he sighed softly, before he gestured to the end of the bed, signifying for her to join them both of the bed and he watched her jump up onto the bed and curl up on the end so that her head was against Phoenix's legs and that was how the small 'Oakenshield family' fell asleep that night and how the maids found them the next morning.


	38. Chapter 38

A Bride's Night

A few weeks had passed since Phoenix's miscarriage and Dis had decided to lift her spirits by organising a Bride's Night to celebrate her engagement to Thorin. At that moment, it was getting late and Dis had assembled every female who loved Phoenix in the great hall. She had given her sons, her father and Thorin a warning of what she will do to them if any of them disturb this night, it was strictly women only in order to celebrate not only Phoenix's engagement to Thorin, but also her birthday. Dis had remembered the look on her brothers face when she told him that he would be absent from Phoenix's celebrations.

 _It was a few weeks passed; Thorin was sat back in his throne at Erebor after speaking with dwarves who had problems. When she found him, Dis recognised that he looked exhausted and weary, Phoenix had been gone for days with Tauriel, Kili, Thrain and Fili on an errand to Rivendell and the Valley of Peace and no doubt her brother was worried for her._

 _"You look like you could use some company." Dis told him._

 _"Aye, and if I hear one more question about when Phoenix will be back, I might slaughter someone. I don't like her being away like this at the best of times and would therefore not like to be reminded." Thorin groaned._

 _"I know you don't." Dis told him and she soon had an idea. "How about you walk with your sister?" She asked him._

 _Thorin nodded. "A walk sounds good." He pushed himself up out of his throne and both siblings walked side by side out of the throne room and they roamed the quiet halls of Erebor._

 _After a few minutes of silent walking, Dis decided to start a conversation._

 _"So, have you and Phoenix thought anymore about the wedding?" Dis asked._

 _"We have." Thorin nodded. "She wants it to be dwarvish."_

 _"Really?" Dis asked and she sounded pretty surprised._

 _"Yes, don't worry I was also surprised."_

 _"But she has spent most of her life with elves; surely her whole life would play around Elvish traditions." Dis told him and Thorin shook his head._

 _"She's actually spent most of her life as Phoenix; she's lived alone in the Valley longer than she lived with her family in Rivendell." Thorin told her._

 _"I wouldn't have thought that." Dis told her. "But it makes sense to live in solitude away from those who don't understand."_

 _Thorin nodded. "Much like you Dis, Phoenix shares a lot of resemblance to yourself."_

 _"How so?" Dis asked._

 _"Well she protects her family, she stands up for others, she can wield many weapons, and she loves me and our family." Thorin told her. "And that is only a few things."_

 _Dis thought it through and she nodded. "I can see that." She told him. "She is an honourable warrior Thorin and I will continue to try and make it up to her for what I did."_

 _"I thought she had given you forgiveness?" Thorin asked._

 _"She had, but I do not think that I have earned it yet, which is why i have something else that I want to talk to you about." Dis told him._

 _"What is it?" Thorin asked._

 _"I wish to throw a party for Phoenix, a bride's night, in order to welcome her to the house of Durin and to celebrate her birthday," Dis told him. "Which means that you cannot be present,"_

 _"Why not?" He asked immediately._

 _"Because it's a bride's night." She told him. "You get forever with her, let me have one night."_

 _Thorin had eventually relented and Dis had started planning straight away_.

Now here she was; she had invited woman from the village, especially Hilda who was the one that Phoenix always referred to as mother. She had also invited Sigrid and Tilda, due to Phoenix being their god mother. She had then invited Arwen from Rivendell and the wives of her brothers, Erumara and Meladamiriel. She had also brought Tauriel and some of the dwarves from the mountain who Phoenix had found to have made good friendships with, the seamstress Doriz, the only female guard in Erebor Baztia and Phoenix's maid Fala. But right now they were still waiting for the bride to be herself.

"What's taking her so long?" Baztia asked.

"I'll go and get her." Dis told them. "She could have lost track of time."

Dis left the group opening bottles of wine as they waited and Dis climbed the many stairs to Phoenix's chamber. Waiting outside for a few minutes to listen, Dis could not hear any voices so she knew that it was not Thorin's fault that Phoenix had not come downstairs so she gently knocked on the door and she opened it to find Phoenix stood by the window watching the moon.

"Phoenix dear, what's keeping you?" Dis asked.

"Nothing Dis..."

Dis noticed the sadness in her voice and she watched as Phoenix's hand moved as if to caress her once pregnant stomach but she stopped herself, and with that she noticed what was wrong. Dis had been there when the other dwarves had been unkind to Phoenix after the miscarriage; she had heard the cruel whispers and taunts that occurred when the other dwarves and dwarrowdams thought that no one else was listening. Once Dis caught Baztia beating the life out of a male dwarf just because he dared to breathe a word wrong to Phoenix.

"Oh Phoenix do not think about what everyone said about the pregnancy." Dis told her. "Your child is now in a safe place."

"I have to worry about it." She whispered.

Dis walked over and she took Phoenix's hands in hers. "Look at me, now you listen to me." Dis told her and Phoenix looked at her. "I lost my first child, Fili and Kili don't know this but Thorin does, now I'm not saying that this will always happen to you, but if what the others said does happen, then no one will think bad of you." Dis told her. "What happened was not your fault; Mahal just knew that your child wasn't ready to join his parents in this world."

Phoenix nodded slightly. "You're right." She got to her feet gently touching her now flat stomach. "Let's go and join the party." Together the two walked hand in hand to join the other women and as soon as they saw Phoenix they were fussing over how beautiful she looked and how much of a beautiful bride she was going to make. Well at least the dwarves, Arwen and Tauriel did, her brothers wives kept their distance. Dis watched the two elves throughout the night and she noticed that they never took part in anything just chastised Phoenix whenever she did anything, so eventually Phoenix sat in a chair and that was it.

Dis hated the treatment of her soon-to-be sister-in-law and before it was late, Dis had to say something. So whilst Tauriel and Baztia were bringing cake to Phoenix, Dis cornered the two elf maidens.

"Can we help you?" Meladamiriel Asked.

"Yes actually you can." Dis told her. "You two can help by being a bit nicer to Phoenix." Dis told them.

"Rhavaniel should not be acting in such a way, it is not befitting of her station." Erumara Told her.

"She is acting like a woman who is about to get married, how both of you can lighten up and let her have her fun or I will personally see to it that you're both thrown out." Dis warned before she went back to her soon-to-be sister-in-law and found her sitting on the ground with Tilda's head on Phoenix's lap.

"Everything alright?" Dis asked.

"Yes I'm just tired Dis." Tilda spoke.

Everyone smiled at the young one before they went back to talking about their own experiences in the bedroom and soon Phoenix joined in the conversation as Tilda fell asleep with her head on her lap.

"So, do tell us Phoenix, what is our King like in the bedroom." Baztia asked her and everyone looked at her.

"He is...good..." Phoenix shrugged.

"Well obviously he's good." Falla Told her. "After all you were with child."

"But come on Phoenix what is he like?" Dis asked.

"Is he as prim and proper as he makes out that he is when he's being the King?" Arwen asked.

"Well...no not really." Phoenix told them.

"Elaborate, my lady." Fala told her.

"Okay..." Phoenix sighed. "Thorin is...well...he can be rough, like very rough, but then he could also be sweet and careful. One time, I asked him to show me what he wanted to do to me, and I found out that he really likes to bite." Phoenix told them. "It is safe to say that I am always satisfied by my King." She told them.

"Well that explains the marks you have." Fala told her and everyone laughed.

"Yes it does rather." She smiled.

"You still have marks?" Dis asked and Phoenix nodded, pulling down one side of her shirt to show teeth shaped bruises on her chest just under her collar bone. Everyone seemed surprised at seeing the mark, but to save Phoenix's embarrassment they decided to not ask about it and then they moved onto someone else.

"What about you Tauriel, what is our young prince like?" Phoenix asked and the elf looked up in alarm.

"Kili is...he is..." She seemed to be struggling how to say what she wanted as she glanced over at Dis.

"Lass you don't have to worry about me hearing it, I don't mind and in fact I take pride in my sons being able to please women." Dis told her.

Everyone looked between the two before Tauriel started talking again and Phoenix could see that the wheels in Tauriel's head were turning.

"Hîn ava ephola enar." Phoenix told her and Tauriel nodded.

"Kili is a passionate lover." Tauriel concluded. "He adores it when I speak Elvish to him and he takes his time with our love making."

"I think we could all lean a few things from the elves." Dis told them. "They seem to have a way of making men weak at the knees."

Everyone laughed in agreement whilst Tauriel and Phoenix shared knowing looks with each other as they sipped their drinks.

"Lady Sigrid." Erumara suddenly spoke and Sigrid seemed to freeze at being addressed by an elf as high as Erumara.

"Yes my lady?" Sigrid asked and Phoenix saw Dis sidle closer to her oldest son's lover as she waited for the elf to speak.

"Is it true that your father is not of royal blood?" Erumara asked.

"Well...Not entirely, but one of our ancestors was a Lord of Dale back in time." Sigrid told her.

"And yet you wear the title of princess?" Meladamiriel asked suddenly outraged.

"Well...Um...Yes because now that Dale has been rebuilt, my da' was made King." Sigrid explained.

The two whispered something to each other that Sigrid and Dis noticed was starting to enrage Phoenix but they still jumped when they heard Phoenix's quick tongue.

"Ui o tye hollen am, núf tya ento beth ië tya medui." Phoenix sneered and the sound of the venom in her voice was enough to make the women stop their conversation.

"That is enough from both of you, how dare you try and ruin this night." Arwen suddenly spoke up, aiming at the wives of her brothers. "If you have nothing nice to say then please do not speak at all."

Everyone went quiet as they looked over at Arwen before they looked at their drinks.

"So Dis, will Phoenix's wedding be as grand as Tauriel's will be?" Sigrid suddenly asked.

Dis looked over at her. "Not exactly Princess Sigrid, Phoenix's wedding will be a much grander affair, after all Thorin is a King." She told her with a smile. "And it is our task to make her into the most beautiful bride around."

"That's not going to be hard." Sigrid looked over at her godmother and they shared a soft smile.

"Aye lass, it won't." Dis looked at Phoenix and smiled softly.

Phoenix looked at both of them and she smiled softly.

They all sat around for a while longer, before Baztia had the idea of a game called the spinning of the bottle. The rules were simple enough for even the drunken dwarf lasses to follow; they spin the bottle and whoever the neck of the bottle points to has to answer a question about their lives - simple enough. Baztia was the first to spin the empty wine bottle that Dis offered up and they all watched it spin between them before it landed on Falla.

"Okay Falla, your turn." Dis looked at her and she saw the look of fear on the young Dwarrowdams face. "Calm yourself dear."

"Okay Falla, I've got a question." Baztia told her. "Why did you agree to be Phoenix's lady-in-waiting?"

"She's not really my lady-in-waiting, Baztia." Phoenix told her.

"It's what the King calls her." Baztia told her immediately. "So hush Phoenix."

Phoenix simply rolled her eyes as she and Baztia shared a playful smile.

"Anyway, Falla, you need to answer the question." Doriz reminded.

"Doriz, I thought you were not going to speak for the rest of the night." Tauriel told her playfully.

"Oh hush you." She told the redhead with a smile. "Even though you are taller, it doesn't mean that I can't tell you off Tauriel." Doriz told her with a laugh.

"Come now Falla, what made you say yes to be my sister's lady-in-waiting?" Arwen asked.

"Well, she was nice to me." Falla shrugged. "She told the King to let me live here after my father and I left the Iron Hills."

"Is it strange though, being the Lady-in-waiting to Phoenix?" Baztia asked.

"Not really...But there is one strange thing that she asks me to do, every morning," Falla started.

"Run a bath with flame retardant oil in it?" Arwen guessed.

"Yes...How did you know?" Falla asked.

"I used to do it for her when she lived in Rivendell." Arwen looked over st her sister and they both shared a smile.

Falla smiled at the pair before she spun the bottle and they watched it land on Sigrid.

"Ah, sweet Sigrid," Dis smiled. "I have a question, have you ever seen my son naked?" She asked.

Everyone looked between Sigrid and Dis; this has gone in a completely different direction very quickly! Sigrid herself looked flustered and almost beetroot in colour.

"I've seen him shirtless if that counts." She offered.

"No I mean no clothes at all, not so much as a scrap of cloth." Dis told her.

"Oh...well...no I haven't." Sigrid told her, her cheeks still alive with embarrassment.

This seemed to satisfy Dis and Sigrid spun the bottle watching as it landed on Baztia.

"What was your most romantic relationship?" Phoenix asked.

Baztia looked at her with surprised eyes. "It was whilst I was a younger dwarf; he was the tailor's son." Baztia told her, before she spun the bottle again and it landed on Phoenix.

"What was your first romantic experience?" Falla asked.

"Thorin." Phoenix shrugged.

"Hold up, Thorin was your first ever romantic experience?" Dis asked suddenly shocked.

"Yes." Phoenix shrugged.

"For the past two thousand years, you've been celibate?" Tauriel asked.

Phoenix nodded taking a sip of her drink. "And it was actually two thousand one hundred and seventy five." Phoenix told her and everyone just gaped at her, except for Arwen.

"I do not see why you are all shocked, Phoenix prided herself on her purity and chastity, any man who tried to take it without her permission was struck to his knees by her blades." Arwen told them.

They all looked back at the dwarvish elf and they felt an immense swell of respect.

"Well I couldn't last a minute without my husband, Mahal rest him." Dis told them. "I admire you Phoenix, but were you ever tempted?" Dis asked.

"Not really." Phoenix admitted with a shrugged. "The Elvish men all looked at me like I didn't deserve to exist and I've not met any other dwarvish men."

"What made you choose Thorin?" Baztia asked.

Phoenix looked at her. "I don't know really." She shrugged. "I guess it was his eyes."

Everyone looked at her, and that obviously was not what they had expected. Thorin was a strong muscular dwarf so the first thing you saw was his muscle and physique, to hear that someone saw his eyes first was a new one. Out of curiosity, Tauriel looked at Phoenix.

"What do Thorin's eyes look like to you?" She asked.

Phoenix smiled a dreamy smile. "They look like the sea after a storm, holding nothing but wisdom and knowledge of s long life." Phoenix spoke with such pride at what she could see if her soon-to-be husband. "But still holding love and loyalty to his family and to me."

"You are family lass." Dis told her. "And to prove it, I have a gift for you." Dis told her pulling a small box from her pocket. "It's tradition as a dwarf for the bride to receive something of her husband's mother at her bride's night from a female relative of her husband." Dis explained as she came to sit beside her and she handed the box to her. Phoenix opened the box carefully and inside she found a silver necklace with a gold design on it and Phoenix cognised the design to be the crest of the line of Durin - Thorin's bloodline.

"Dis it's beautiful." Phoenix told her looking at her and she hugged her. "Thank you."

Dis hugged her back smiling. "You're very welcome."

The rest of the bride's night dissolved into laughter and alcohol.

Time flew quickly afterwards and soon it was only a few days until the wedding. Dis had dragged Phoenix up early to play 'mother' and 'sister' to her helping her choose the dwarvish style for a dwarvish wedding. At that moment they were sitting in the courtyard with Elrond who had come up from Rivendell to give his daughter away and Dis was telling him how the ceremony went. She explained how he would be walking her down the aisle with Helga, the human that Phoenix had grown close to over the years in Laketown. And how the ceremony itself would plan out and then how the after party would plan out. Dis also asked Elrond to prepare the elves that would be in attendance as an Elvish party was nothing like a dwarvish party. And then the pair of them started on Phoenix who had happily sat there in silence sharpening her swords.

"Now, all you have to do is repeat your vows and say I do." Dis told her.

"Dis please be aware that I have been to a dwarvish wedding." Phoenix reminded her as she twirled her sword round in her hands. "I know what I'm doing."

"But this is the wedding of the King, Phoenix one wrong move and its curtains." Dis reminded her.

"Really Dis I didn't realise that I was marrying a King." Phoenix told her. "But let me point out that neither Thorin nor I want the big flashy wedding, we just want a small ceremony with a few witnesses. We are only doing it this way because he knows that the other dwarves would be after my head if we didn't."

Dis and Elrond looked at her and only Elrond spoke.

"It's not too late." He told her. "You can still call this off, and do it the way you two want."

"No Ada, we can't." Phoenix told him. "I just want to marry the dwarf I love; I don't need a ceremony for that." She told them before she got to her feet and left them.

"There's something bothering her." Elrond mentioned to Dis when Phoenix was gone. "How has she been since the miscarriage?"

Dis looked at him. "She's been...Well...Down almost depressed." Dis confessed. "Sometimes she doesn't eat or drink until late in the evening, Falla said that her dresses are too big, her skin is paler...Though being called names by some of the dwarves here isn't really going to help." She sighed before something came to mind. "Lord Elrond, do you think that is a chance that she is fading?" Dis asked him and Elrond saw the worry in her eyes.

"I do not think so, for fading doesn't take this long, I think that she has simply fallen into a depression." Elrond told her. "Dis maybe they should break tradition, a big wedding isn't what they need right now."

Dis nodded. "I agree...Let us both go and talk with Thorin."

Elrond nodded and together they both walked into the palace finding Thorin, Thrain, Fili, Kili and Dwalin all stood in the meeting hall around a table talking.

"Brother we need to talk." Dis told him.

"Sister we are a bit busy." Thorin told her looking at what looked like battle lines on a piece of parchment below him.

"The happiness of the woman you love is more important than whatever the fuck you're doing." Dis spoke and it snapped up Thorin's attention immediately.

"Is she alright?" He asked immediately. "Is she wounded?" He demanded.

"Not yet." Dis told him. "But she can still harm herself, Lord Elrond and I fear that Phoenix is not in her right mind."

"How so?" He demanded looking to Lord Elrond, his worry for his soon-to-be wife making him less respectful to the elf lord than usual.

"She is in a depression, due to the miscarriage," Elrond paused at seeing the look of loss on Thorin's face as he was reminded of his and Phoenix's dead son but he carried on. "I fear the consequences of her actions; she is no longer eating or drinking, she has lost weight and her attention is always on darker things. If this carries on I fear that you won't be marrying much of a person is regards to Phoenix's spirit."

Thorin looked distraught as he leant against the table. "Why did she not tell me?"

"How can she?" Dis asked. "You've thrown yourself into this battle you're planning; you hardly sleep in the same room."

"But I still should have known...I'm her husband-to-be." Thorin sighed. "I need to see her...do you know where she is?"

"No she left us in the courtyard, but she was heading north through the palace." Elrond told them.

"She's gone to the nursery." Kili told them. "Tauriel should be there with our sons."

"She's submerging herself with things she could have had." Elrond sighed. "That's not good."

At his words Thorin and Kili were gone, running towards the nursery and soon everyone else followed.

Meanwhile in the nursery Tauriel was sitting in a rocking chair, holding one of hers and Kili's sons and humming a lullaby as she did. She was so entranced in her child that she did not hear the sound of Phoenix's boots on the floor until she turned at feeling a presence behind her.

"Oh Phoenix, you gave me a fright." Tauriel told her as she smiled in welcome before she gestured to the chair beside her and she watched as Phoenix took a seat. "What's on your mind?"

Phoenix looked at her. "My son."

Tauriel nodded in understanding. "You wonder what could have been don't you?" She asked.

Phoenix nodded. "It was my fault."

"No, you cannot think that." She told her, just as there was a whimper from Tauriel and Kili's other son.

Before Tauriel could fathom what was happening, Phoenix had the baby in her arms and she was rocking him gently. The two were there in silence each holding a baby, and they jumped when the door suddenly swung open and one of the guards was brandishing a sword.

"Put the baby down lass." The guard spoke and Phoenix saw a nursemaid behind him looking fearfully at the child in her arms.

"I am not going to hurt him." Phoenix told him, looking down at the child in her arms.

"Last time lass." The guard snarled.

"How dare you." Tauriel told him. "She is to be your queen and you dare to speak to her like that!"

Suddenly another door was thrown open and they turned to see Thorin and Kili stood there and Kili saw the guard and the nursemaid and immediately thought the worst when he found Phoenix with his child.

"Phoenix, please hand him to me." Kili told her and Phoenix caught the worry on his voice.

"Why does everyone think I'm going to hurt him?" Phoenix asked and she looked at the young child in her arms who was happily sleeping. "I took him because Tauriel had her hands full...and he's asleep...why would I hurt him?" She whispered the last question before she gently kissed the child's head and put him in Kili's arms who then backed away from her immediately. When the child was not in her arms the guard ran forward and grabbed her and he dragged her from the room, she looked at Thorin for his help but it never came and she watched everyone worry for the two dwarf children as Phoenix was dragged out of the room.

Only when he had her out of the room did he let her go and he pushed her against the wall.

"You're a disgrace." The dwarf sneered. "No one wants you here and you can't give the king what he wants so you're no use here."

"You dare to speak to my daughter like that." Elrond's voice suddenly boomed, the high elf looked furious as he took Phoenix's arm as the door opened and Thorin and Tauriel stood there with Kili behind them.

"Phoenix, speak to me." Elrond told her as she pulled her arms from his grip.

"Why?" She asked. "It would change nothing, you all think I'm going to hurt the children when how could I?" Her eyes caught Thorin's when she said that and he saw the look of hurt in her eyes and he realised that he had not handle this situation in a way that would help her.

"Amrâlimê," Thorin started.

"Don't you dare Thorin." She seethed before she walked away, the dwarves around them staring at the group.

"Lord Elrond, why is it not a good idea for the children to be around Phoenix?" Tauriel asked.

"Because she can get attached." Elrond told them.

"So she wasn't going to hurt our children?" Kili asked.

"Of course not, she might have impressive power, but she isn't a violent soul that preys on helpless children." Tauriel told her husband who was now looking very sheepish.

"You need to find her and apologise, and so do you Thorin." Elrond told them.

Both of the dwarves hung their heads and Kili saw that his uncle hated being told off just as much as he did and it also made him smirk, but he decided that that would be better use for another day.

"Where would she have gone?" Kili asked.

"The stables to saddle up for a ride, maybe?" Thorin muttered, and he and Kili left the group.

True to his words, when they reached the stables, they found a hooded figure climbing onto Carnahan's saddle and Thorin knew it was Phoenix.

"Phoenix, wait." He called to her and Phoenix looked at him, most of her face covered by the hood of her cloak.

"What should I wait for?" She asked, venom layering her voice. "So you two can accuse me of wanting to harm the children?" She spat.

"No...We were wrong...I was wrong..." Kili told her. "I want to apologise."

"Then hurry up and apologise." She told him. "I'm about to go on a hunt."

"Phoenix, please, I will get on my knees if I have to, but please forgive me." Kili told her. "It was wrong of me to worry about the safety of my sons around you and I will take any opportunity that I can to make it up to you." True to his words, Kili was on his knees before the large horse, looking up at his soon-to-be aunt and Phoenix saw the sorrow in his eyes.

"You are forgiven." She told him. "For now."

When Kili was off his knees and bowing his head with endless thank you's, she looked at Thorin, waiting for his apology but it never came.

"Let me accompany you." Thorin told her.

"Why?" She asked. "What if I do not want your company?"

"Then I will give it to you none the less." He told her before he looked back at his youngest nephew. "If anyone asks for me, tell them that I have gone hunting with my soon-to-be wife."

Kili felt that he had no choice but to nod and he left them as Phoenix reluctantly waited for Thorin to pick up his weapons and saddle his pony. When he was ready, he rode out with her and into the forest. The whole journey out there, Thorin and Phoenix never spoke, just simply rode on looking for something to hunt and he found himself hating the silence more than usual. He wanted her to speak, to tell him anything, even if it was where they were going. Just as he was about to break the deafening silence, he noticed that she had stopped Carnahan and slid from the saddle onto her feet, before she turned back to the horse and pulled her arrows and bow from the saddle and put them onto her back. He watched her for a few minutes before he too done the same.

Phoenix left Carnahan where she had dismounted and the horse seemed happy to be there, grazing on the grass nearby, and Thorin watched his pony join him, before he jogged to keep up with Phoenix and that was where he snapped.

"Will you talk to me?" He suddenly asked.

"Why?" She asked him.

"Because I want to know what I have done to hurt you enough to receive the silent treatment." He told her.

She looked at him. "You didn't help me." She told him. "I was dragged from the room for no reason, thought of as a monster that would harm children for no reason and you did nothing!" She suddenly shouted.

Thorin looked at her, he had not realised that his lack of action had caused her such pain, but he knew a simply apology was not going to make this better, but it was to be a start.

"Forgive me." He told her. "I know that you're really upset right now, but I will make it up to you."

Phoenix ignored him just like he thought she would and they continued their walk through the forest. He kept a few feet behind her and he watched as she knelt down beside some bushes and he watched as she studied some prints in the mud. He had never really seen Phoenix track an animal before, but this was interesting to watch. He followed her when she started walking and soon they came to a cave where the tracks seemed to lead them and he readied an arrow in his quiver just as Phoenix did. They walked inside the cave together, and they soon came across a small group of animals. It was a deer and her young, Thorin went to strike the mother with the arrow, before Phoenix pushed his hands away.

"What?" He asked her.

"Don't hurt them." She told him. "We can't leave her babies to suffer without her."

"Phoenix, she's food for us." He told her.

"Not her, we'll find a stag, leave them be." She told he and she started to walk back towards the cave exit and Thorin sighed following her.

It was not much longer before they found another deer and this one was a large male stag, which proved a better target and that was what they took home to the happiness of the dwarves. Yet Phoenix did not join in the dinner, she ate in hers and Thorin's rooms with her father.

When Thorin returned to his rooms that night, he found Phoenix to be asleep in their bed and he sighed to himself, before he got ready for bed and slid under the covers, pulling her close to him with his arms around her.

"Am I forgiven?" He whispered to her.

"No." She told him, before she slid to the end of the bed and went back to sleep leaving Thorin in the coldness of her lack of embrace. This was his first night in months where he did not receive any affection from Phoenix, and it was the same for many nights afterwards.

One morning, Thorin awoke to find that there was no sign of Phoenix in their bed; he had come to bed early the night before to try and catch her so that they could talk, but he had fallen asleep without her coming to bed. He noticed that fresh pair of her clothes was gone along with her swords and Uldoniair was not asleep by the fireplace. This made him sigh, he was becoming a stranger to his own Fiancée, he missed the warmth of her body as they slept next to each other his arms around each other for comfort, he did not even miss the sex they had, though it was amazing, what he missed most was the feeling of having her there. Getting himself up and dressed, he wandered the halls of Erebor looking for any sign of her and then he walked into his nephews.

"Uncle..." Kili bowed his head.

"Have you seen her?" He asked.

"She and Tauriel took the children to Dale, where Phoenix was helping to clear some debris that's left over from the attack a few months ago." Fili told him. "We were just on our way there with mother."

"I will accompany you." He told them. "Did Uldoniair go with them?"

"Yeah, she went with them." Kili nodded as they walked down to the stables. "She wouldn't leave Phoenix no matter how much we asked."

Thorin nodded and they found Dis already in her pony's saddle and when the Princes and Thorin were ready, they all started riding off towards Dale. As they rode, Dis looked at her brother.

"How are you and Phoenix?" She asked.

"We haven't spoken in weeks." He told her. "But we'll be fine."

"Should we postpone the wedding?" She asked.

"Dis, there are more important things to worry about than my wedding." He told her. "So do not go on about it."

Dis sidled away from him and she looked at Dale as they approached. When they reached the town, they were greeted by Bard who showed them to where people were hard at work and they found Phoenix who was lugging around heavy looking blocks of stone on her own.

"She's a force to be reckoned with." Bard told him. "We couldn't stop her."

"It's alright, she wouldn't listen anyway." Thorin told them as he walked over as Phoenix dropped the stone onto a pile of others.

She did not seem to notice that he had walked to her, but Thorin knew better, he saw the miniature movements that nobody else could recognise, like the movement of her body tensing at his very presence.

"Elmë boe an carfa." He told her, preferring to speak in Elvish to make her listen to him.

"Ennas ië munta an carfa os." She told him.

"Athon ennas ië." He told her, grabbing her wrist to stop her moving, and he did not seem to notice which wrist he had grabbed because Phoenix jerked back and Thorin ended up pulling her bracelet off her wrist and he watched Phoenix wince as her form kept changing at intervals and she grabbed the bracelet from him putting it back on.

"Should I assume you done that on purpose?" She asked him when she felt better from continual changes.

"You know that I didn't." He told her. "I just need to talk to you."

"There is nothing to say though." She told him.

"Yes there is." He argued. "Phoenix, I love you, you are my life, my world, the Queen of my heart, the fire in my veins." He told her. "And so far I feel like I am losing you."

"You know why." She told him.

"I know, and I know that I cannot make it up to you, but I feel that you will not let me try and make it up to you."

"Did it ever occur to you that you can't make this better?" She asked him.

"If that was true, why are you still engaged to me?" He asked.

"Because I love you." She told him. "I'm hurt Thorin, and I need time to get over this." She told him.

"Do you love me?" He asked.

"Of course I do." She told him. "We've gone through too much to let this little mistakes break us, but I just need time."

"Then will you come back to share our bed with me?" He asked. "I miss you."

She nodded. "I will." She told him kissing his cheek. "Now can I get back to work?"

Thorin looked at her and without giving her an answer, he took off his kingly robes, leaving them somewhere safe, and he looked at her, rubbing his hands together.

"Let's get this work done." He told her and it caused Phoenix to smile at him before they both went back to clearing the rubble and as they worked together, it was the happiest that Thorin had ever been.

Things improved with the relationship between Thorin and Phoenix, and they had both been working together to fix it. Right now, it was an early morning and Phoenix woke up to a cold chill blasting through their room, causing her to shiver. Getting up, she made her way over to the fireplace, using her powers to set it on fire. The sudden blast of heat was enough to wake Thorin and he moved to sit up slightly, looking over and smiling as he found Phoenix sitting on the bear skin rug before the fireplace.

"What's the matter?" He asked her, walking over and sliding his arms around her from behind as he knelt behind her.

"Sorry, the cold woke me up." She told him, nuzzling into the coarse hair of his chest.

"Would you like to come back to bed?" He asked her.

"Actually, I want to try something?" She asked him.

"And that is?" He asked, nuzzling her neck.

"I want to show you something really." She told him, turning to face him and she moved to rest a hand on his chest over his heart and suddenly Thorin felt a flood of energy.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"It's a transfer point...It's the same energy that I used to bring you back, it's the same if you wanted to give energy back." She told him.

"So...Does it work with anyone?" Thorin asked.

"No...It's a personal thing because it has to be skin on skin contact." She told him.

Thorin nodded and he kissed her forehead. "And can it happen at any time?" With Phoenix's nod, he pressed a kiss to her lips and Phoenix kissed him back, though she was quite curious as to what was going on in his mind, but she soon realised where his mind was when he moved to lay her back on the rug.

"Thorin..." She told him softly, looking up at him when he rested his weight on his arms so that his body above hers.

"What's the matter?" He asked.

"Are you sure that you want to?" She asked him. "After what happened?"

"Of course I do." He told her, kissing her forehead. "I want to physically show you how much I love you, and if this results in you conceiving another child then we will deal with it." He told her.

Phoenix looked at him and she saw how serious he was and it made her smile softly, leaning up and kissing his lips gently, before they spent most of their early morning making love to each other.

 **Translations:**

Hîn ava ephola enar : They will not remember tomorrow

Ui o tye hollen am, núf tya ento beth ië tya medui : Both of you shut up before your next word is your last

Elmë boe an carfa. : We need to talk.

Ennas ië munta an carfa os : There is nothing to talk about

Athon ennas ië : Yes there is


	39. Chapter 39

Love Knows Many Forms

Whilst Thorin and Phoenix were getting reacquainted with each other's bodies, Tauriel was sitting in hers and Kili's rooms, two basinets beside her as she held one of her son's in her arms.

"Are they alright?" Kili asked from where he was getting dressed on the other side of the room.

"They are fine." She told him with a soft smile. "They are growing stronger each day."

"Good." He walked over once he had finished getting dressed and he looked into the other basinet where his other son was lying, wrapped in blankets and looking up at them. "Come here little man." He picked his son up into his arms and held him.

"Are you sure that you like their names?" Tauriel asked. "Or are they too long?"

"Thorontur and Harin are fine names." Kili told her. "Their meanings are just, just like our own names."

Tauriel smiled. "I was surprised when you chose Thorontur." She told him. "It does mean Power of an Eagle after all, I thought you would pick a Raven instead."

Kili smiled. "No, this name is fine." He told her. "An eagle is a mighty bird."

She smiled. "Do you wish that we had had a daughter?" She asked.

"We can always try for another daughter." He told her. "What would you have called her?"

"Something to honour a family member." Tauriel told her. "Maybe Bazbryn."

"What does it mean?" Kili asked.

"'Maiden of the Fire', to honour her Aunt." Tauriel smiled. "Phoenix deserves to be as close to the children as possible, after all she will remain here longer than the rest of us."

Kili nodded. "Yeah...I guess she will...When you think about it, Phoenix's life must be a lonely one."

Tauriel nodded and she looked down at her son, Harin, in her arms. "He is perfect, they both are."

Kili looked down at Thorontur as he held him and he smiled. "Yes they are, I can't wait until they are older, we can take them hunting and teach them the ways of the bow and how to fight."

Tauriel smiled as Kili spoke of all the things that he could not wait to do when the boys were older and she looked down at her sons, she found the traits of their father. Thorontur had his father's eyes and hair with her ears, but Harin looked more like Tauriel in the face, with her eyes but he too had black hair like his father and his brother. Her family was going to be a strong one when the boys grew up and that was something that she could not wait for.

Meanwhile, Fili was sat in his room, on his bed and he was reading a letter that he had received a few nights ago by raven and despite its shortness in length, it made him smile.

 _Fili,_

 _Your letters always never fail to make me smile. I look forward to hearing from you every time the post comes. I have never experience emotion the way that I experience it from you; I feel that you are the love of my life. I look for your warm embrace when I am alone at night; I listen for the sound of your voice in the crowded square and I wait for the sound of your laughter to fill my home. I cannot wait until we next meet, I truly wish to remain at your side, if you will have me._

 _All my love, forever yours_

 _Sigrid._

Unbeknownst to his family, he and Sigrid has been exchanging letters ever since Thorin took the throne of Erebor. They started off friendly with him apologising for the kiss, however now they were exchanging these love letters frequently since Sigrid had returned his last kiss. Of course Kili, Tauriel and Phoenix knew about his relationship with Sigrid, but it was mainly soft kisses in public, yet things had become much more heated when they were on their own and it made Fili sigh in want as he realised how close they were to going all the way.

 _It was one of the hottest days that Fili had witnessed on the lands outside of Erebor, he and Phoenix had gone down to Dale with Thrain to check on the market and trading for Erebor and Dale. They met with Legolas who was acting as regent at that moment in order to ensure that everything was going well on the side of the Elves. As Phoenix, Thrain and Legolas all sat in the shade, Fili had left the group to go and find Sigrid. He soon found her walking out of her father's house carrying empty buckets and he followed her until she got to the river, where he simply watched as she set the buckets down on the ground and knelt before the water. Before she started to fill the buckets, Sigrid put her hands into the water, cupping some and she had the water wash over her face as an attempt to cool herself down._

 _"_ _You know, there is an easier way." Fili told her and he could tell that the suddenness of his voice made her jump, but she turned to look at him._

 _"_ _Oh really?" She asked, moving to stand. "And what way would that be?"_

 _"_ _This." He told her and he suddenly ran at her, causing them both to the thrown back into the water._

 _Sigrid surfaced first coughing and spluttering, and when he resurfaced she hit him square in the chest. "Fili!" She screamed._

 _Fili simply laughed. "Forgive me my love." He told her and he slid an arm around her, pulling her to him._

 _Only when she was close did she realise that Fili had shed his sword belt and his princely robes whilst he had been watching her. However, Sigrid was not interested in that, she was more interested in the feel of Fili's muscled chest and arms through his now skin tight shirt and she moved some of his soaked hair from his face._

 _"_ _I love you." He told her._

 _"_ _I love you too." She told him, leaning down to kiss him and their lips almost fused together with passion._

 _Before either of them seemed to comprehend what was happening, Sigrid was on her back on the bank, Fili learning over her, their lips still fused together. Fili's hands found their way under her skirts to her sweet spot and it caused a moan to escape her lips. Phoenix was right, dwarves were good with their hands, and that was her only thought as her brought her to completion. However, just as she was about to return the favour, they heard Phoenix and Thrain calling for him and they quickly got themselves up and Fili slid back into the water, making up the excuse that he was too hot and the cold water of the lake was refreshing to his soon-to-be aunt and his grandfather when they found them._

Fili remembered that day fondly, watching and feeling his lady come undone at his hands had been the best thing for him to witness and his family were none the wiser. But Fili knew that he would need to make his want to court the Princess of Dale known, at the time she already had callers coming to the door. Deciding that it was time that he left his rooms, he stashed his letter away and he picked up his princely clothes and went off to find his uncle and his mother. As he walked, he remembered the day that he asked his Uncle to let him court someone and it made him smile. Phoenix truly showed her skill as Queen that day.

 _That specific day he had made up his mind about who he loved and he was walking through Erebor looking for his Uncle, as because of his status as Prince, he needed the King's permission before he courted anyone and sure enough, he found them in the family banquet hall with Phoenix enjoying breakfast._

 _"_ _Here Uldoniair." Thorin shouted and he threw a bone for the large Dire Wolf who happily caught it and lay where she stood chewing on it._

 _"_ _You're spoiling her, my love." Phoenix told him._

 _"_ _She deserves it; she spends most nights guarding the palace." Thorin told her._

 _"_ _Only because you shoo her from the room when you want to make love to your fiancée." Dis told her brother playfully._

 _Phoenix gained a soft blush to her cheeks as she looked over at Fili. "Good morning Fili, sleep well?"_

 _"_ _Aye." He told her. "Listen, I need to talk to you, all three of you." He continued as he sat at the table._

 _"_ _What about lad?" Dis asked._

 _"_ _About me being able to court someone." Fili told them._

 _"_ _Is this about the Lady Sigrid by any chance?" Thorin asked his nephew who suddenly paled and looked at him with a worried expression and it caused Thorin to chuckle. "Be at peace nephew, it was pretty obvious."_

 _"_ _I agree with your Uncle, you did not do so well at hiding it son." Dis told him as she sipped her drink._

 _"_ _Does everyone know?" He asked._

 _"_ _Not everybody, only us, Kili, Tauriel and Thrain." Phoenix told him as she looked over at him._

 _"_ _And none of you are mad that I didn't tell you?" He asked._

 _"_ _Of course not, you deserve your own privacy, you don't have to tell us everything." Phoenix told him._

 _"_ _Well I am upset." Dis told them. "I'm your mother lad, you should have told me when you first had affection for the girl."_

 _"_ _But at that time you were trying to ruin Tauriel and Kili's relationship as well as Phoenix and Thorin's." Fili reminded her and this silenced Dis._

 _"_ _That is by the by." Phoenix told him before Dis could say anything. "Yes you should have told us, you accept that you went wrong with that?" She asked him and Fili nodded. "But we also see that your intentions were pure and true, like a true heir of Durin," She looked at Dis and Thorin who were silent, and then she looked back at Fili. "So you have my blessing and I know that your family agree, so an important question now is does Sigrid return such affections?"_

 _"_ _I believe she does." Fili told her, he knew that Phoenix was acting blind about Sigrid and Fili's relationship to his mother, after all their treaty was still on the fragile side, but she knew perfectly well Sigrid cared for Fili too._

 _"_ _Good, now, I do not know how things are done with dwarves, but_ _as per elvish custom, when someone of the royal family decides to court someone, their intended is brought to the palace to spend some time with the family of the man she is courting." She looked at Dis and Thorin. "Is that similar in your people?"_

 _"_ _It is." Thorin told them. "It is more or less the same, it just wasn't needed with you and Tauriel because you were living in Erebor anyway."_

 _"_ _Excellent, two weeks from now, Sigrid shall stay in Erebor with us for one week. I will arrange it with Bard, and Fili you are to make a gift, Sigrid likes jewellery but nothing too fancy." Phoenix told him. "We will do this properly or not at all, now off you go, I believe that you have some plans to draw up." She told Fili and he almost ran from the room, his heart jumping about in his chest in excitement. When he was gone, Thorin and Dis looked to Phoenix who sat in her chair and went back to eating her breakfast._

 _"_ _Lass...What on Earth did you do?" Dis asked._

 _Phoenix looked up at her. "I do not see what I did wrong."_

 _"_ _You didn't." Thorin told her. "You just acted like a Queen, like the Queen of Erebor should have..."_

 _"_ _Oh..." Phoenix told them. "Is that bad?"_

 _"_ _Of course not." Dis told her. "I thank you for calming my son like you did, but just how long have you know about him and the Lady Sigrid?"_

 _"_ _Since we came here." Phoenix told her. "He always worried about telling you Dis, I tried to get him not to worry, but Sigrid was scared to."_

 _This settled any argument with Dis and since then Dis had been showing Sigrid dwarf customs so that she was prepared for when the time came where Sigrid was to help Fili as his wife._

As he walked, he almost walked straight into his brother and Tauriel, each of them holding a bundle.

"Brother, be careful." Kili told him as he managed to avoid his son getting squished between the two brothers – just.

"Sorry brother." Fili told them. "I was miles away." He looked down at his nephew in his brothers arms and he smiled, Kili had certainly grown up a lot since the birth of his sons and it was an amazing to see.

Kili nodded and he looked down at his son as Tauriel spoke. "Shall we get going to breakfast?" She asked them and the brothers nodded, walking ahead of her into the family dining room. Upon their entrance, they found Dis sat with Thrain, Thorin and Phoenix, with Uldoniair sitting on the ground between Thorin and Phoenix.

"Ah there you all are." Dis smiled. "Come and sit, Tauriel I will summon a nursemaid to care for the children." She told her, signalling to a nearby maid to fetch the intended dwarrowdam.

"If I may Lady Dis, I would like to keep my children with me today." Tauriel told them.

"But Tauriel, that is not viable." Dis told her.

"Why not?" Phoenix asked her voice full of curiosity. "Surely as their mother it gives her rights to spend as much time as possible with the children."

"Not in dwarven culture." Dis told her. "The children of royal blood are to go to the nursemaid and spend their time being raised by her instead of their mother."

"That does not seem right." Tauriel told them. "I could not imagine being away from my sons for any amount of time."

"It is the way of our people Tauriel; you would do best to abide by it." Dis told her, her tone patronising and nobody failed to notice it. But they watched as the nursemaid walked over and held her hands out to Tauriel for her son, demanding the baby.

"Your services will not be needed." Tauriel told the dwarrowdam who suddenly had a stern look on her face.

"Your heard my love, you are not needed." Kili told the women and this time she bowed her head and left.

When she was gone, Tauriel gave him a look of thanks, before she looked at Dis. "I thank you for your advice Dis, but I am choosing to ignore it." She told her. "With the reason that I do not wish for my children to spend their first few months of life away from me, I love them too much to not be there for their milestones like that." She got to her feet. "My children are half dwarf and half elf and they will be raised the way that Kili and I see fit and we have decided that the Elvish way would be best." She told them before she looked at Phoenix. "Are you coming for our walk?"

Phoenix nodded and she held her hands out for the baby that another nursemaid had taken from Kili, and reluctantly the dwarrowdam handed him over and Phoenix kissed Thorin's cheek before she carried the baby after Tauriel.

As the two walked, they found Baztia and Dwalin joining them once more; it had become a ritual for the four of them now. Every other morning after breakfast, they would meet at the gates of Erebor with the children and the four adults would walk through the lands outside of Erebor beside the river, with Phoenix and Tauriel carrying one of the children each.

"Do you think what I said was wrong?" Tauriel asked Phoenix when they were sitting on rocks beside the river.

"Of course not." Phoenix told her. "Tauriel, if either of my children had survived, then I would have said the same." Phoenix looked at her. "Thorontur and Harin are your sons, not Dis', not mine, not Thrain's and not Thorin's; no one had any say in how they are raised except for Kili and yourself."

Tauriel nodded, leaning down to kiss her son's head before she looked at Phoenix and gently took her hand. "It will be your turn soon melon nín, I promise."

Phoenix nodded. "I know." She looked down at the baby in her arms. "These two will surely give us a run for their money."

Tauriel smiled. "Yes, they will." She sighed. "In cannot wait until they are older for me to teach them the ways of the elves, from hunting to defending their home, to even how to talk to women."

Phoenix smiled. "Whatever you do, do not let Kili teach them how to wow the 'fairer sex' as Thorin, Fili and Kili keep mentioning." She laughed. "It does make me laugh at times, how they think that we are 'fairer' when we can pack just as much of a punch as they can."

"I do agree, I mean between us, we killed at least half of the army during the Battle for the mountain." Tauriel told her.

"And we will continue to do the same in any battle we face." Phoenix told her and them both smiled at each other.

"I did not know that there was a battle in the future, does one of you have a gift that we did not know about?" Dwalin asked them playfully as he and Baztia sat on another rock nearby.

"No, but commendatory is always nice." Phoenix told them and the two nodded in agreement before they went back to tending to the children.

Upon their return to Erebor, Phoenix helped Tauriel to lay the children down for a nap, but both Princes refused to settle.

"Phoenix, please sing us a song." Tauriel asked. "They refuse to sleep."

Phoenix looked over from where she had sat herself on the window ledge and she raised an eyebrow. "You are just as much of a singer as I am." She saw the pleading in Tauriel's eyes and she could not help but nod. "Alright, let me think." After a few minutes, Phoenix started to play her flute and Tauriel started to sing.  
 _Hön'marën kena-uva kala  
Indönya ullumeá  
Nör'ande sëra mi lorien  
îm'eri ratö naya  
larya nîn mëlissè  
le sinte îma sinomë  
ána sama lemî oloorë  
le ar'uunèr ana kaurë  
uur'anor wannëa  
isilme va'arya  
telume siila tere  
na'are utumno wanya  
erüma, helkàda  
raanè ressè  
lörna à'kuilä  
Vàrna mi'olör  
türma ei ràumo  
Sinomë_

This was where they were found by Kili and Thorin, Tauriel singing the children to sleep whilst Phoenix played the flute that remained in the inside pocket of her waistcoat but was never used.

"We thought that we heard you two singing." Thorin commented, walking to Phoenix's side and sliding his arms around her.

"Yes, the children were not sleeping and I knew that Phoenix always carried her flute with her for emergencies and such." Tauriel smiled as Kili sliding his arms around her also and she looked at her sleeping sons.

"You two need to babysit for us one day." Kili told them, looking at Thorin and Phoenix.

"No." Thorin told him instantly.

"Why not?" He asked. "It would be good practice." He told them.

"Not just yet." Thorin told him as he kissed Phoenix's forehead before she laid her head against his chest.

"Alright...But in the future?" He asked.

"Yes, in the future." Phoenix told him, before she and Thorin decided to take their leave and that was how the peaceful silence of the two young children was broken as they woke up crying to the sound of the door closing and with that, Thorin and Phoenix high-tailed it through the corridors of Erebor. The sound of children was something that Phoenix and Thorin would certainly never tire of, like many things it was a sound that they loved.

 **Translations**

Melon nín : My friend

Tauriel and Phoenix's song translation (Forest Elves – Lullaby from a Distant Land)

 _My heart shall see light_

 _Our hearts shall be forever_

 _Go forth, and rest in dreamland_

 _I'll soon be there_

 _Wait for me my love_

 _To join you in dreams_

 _You have nothing to fear_

 _Fiery sun, be gone_

 _Moonlight, protect us_

 _Heaven's star, shine through_

 _Flame of hell, vanish_

 _Lonely voice, cold and bare_

 _Wandering alone_

 _Asleep, yet awake_

 _Safe in dreams_

 _Shelter from the storm_

 _Here_


	40. Chapter 40

Pain

Years had passed and overall, Thorin and Phoenix were hit with miscarriage after miscarriage over the space of two years. Despite the pain and sorrow this brought, they remained optimistic and even 'babysat' Tauriel and Kili's sons on occasions so the couple could have some time alone. However, the only thing that changed was the duration of Phoenix's pregnancies before she miscarried. This recent one was the hardest yet. She had been so close to her due date when everything had gone wrong. He had hoped to spare her from it, the crushing guilt that made her think she was the cause, but with his courtiers claiming it to be her fault he could not. He only hoped that Phoenix found solace in the fact that she had held him this time and that Tauriel had also lost a child. Watching the small body of his child being lowered into a stone coffin for eternity wrenched at his heart. This was the fourth child they had lost in the past two years, all of the previous ones had been sons, but this one had been a daughter. Despite their gender, they were all heirs of the line of Durin, but this one had been the worst. This time Phoenix went through it alone whilst Thorin was away for war. He had come home as soon as his Raven reached him telling him about the early birth of their child, but he did not expect this one to be stillborn especially not after everything had gone well. He watched the coffin be sealed and then he looked at the other three tiny stone coffins beside it and he took his leave, his new immortality meant that he would never see his children in the afterlife, but he spent forever with his love. This was the price that he had to pay and he was willing to pay it in full. Instead of going off to the meeting hall, like he was supposed to, he went to find his beloved and he knew that he would find her where he normally found her after tragedies such as this, in their room holding a pillow to her chest and staring at the dying embers of a fire long since extinguished. As he reached her room, Falla was just leaving.

"How is she?" He asked quietly.

Falla shook her head. "Nothing has passed her lips my lord, not even a drink; I fear that she is fading as young Tauriel said."

Thorin nodded. "I will see her and try and get her to eat, could you possibly have some Elvish soup that Arwen left the recipe for, brought to her, it might do her good to eat something from her home."

Falla bowed her head and she took her leave, letting Thorin walk into his and Phoenix's room and Thorin found her on the bed. Her face was pale and drawn, dried trails from the tears that she had cried still evident.

"Amrâlimê." He whispered walking over to kneel down on the side of the bed that allowed for him to see her face. "Talk to me my love."

Phoenix looked at him. "I received a visit from your head of council." She told him and Thorin froze.

"What did he want?" He asked.

"Not a lot asked where you were, so I told him, then he said that he said that he was sorry that I was going to be replaced...Are you replacing me?" Phoenix asked.

Thorin looked at her and he let his mouth hang open, she was so low in herself that this was what worried her?

"I mean, I can understand why you would, because I haven't been able to give you a living heir." She was slowly working herself into a state. "But I would have liked you to tell me." She whispered.

"Phoenix, I could never replace you, yes no child of ours has survived yet, but maybe we aren't ready to have children." Thorin told her, picking her up in his arms and pulling her close to him. "We have forever to have children; maybe the gods just want us to enjoy our life together for now."

Phoenix nodded against him and she snuggled close, she hated doubting him but after being belittled for three years that she had lived in Erebor by the other dwarves, it was starting to wear her down and she hated it.

The pair stayed there for a while longer, only enjoying the company that the two could give. Eventually, Falla came back with a tray and a bowl of the soup that Thorin had sent for.

"Come on Phoenix, you need to eat." He told her and this time Phoenix nodded as she got to her feet and Thorin guided her over to the table and chairs that had been placed by the window. Thorin sat across from her, keeping watch as Phoenix started to eat what she had been given. The more she ate, the more the tempo of her feeding increased, she must have been starving. When she was finished, he pushed the bowl away from her and brought his chair closer to her.

"Talk to me." He pleaded.

"There is nothing that I can say." She told him. "I killed our child." She whispered. "Our child died because of my powers, just like my mother."

Thorin looked at her; he had seen Phoenix at a low before, but never this low. In this new downward spiral he saw the resentment that she had to herself over her powers. He did not get to see their child at birth, but he had heard the gossip. The child had apparently been burnt black by the inner heat of Phoenix's body.

"It wasn't your fault." He whispered. "None of that was your fault, you can't control it."

Phoenix looked up at him and she had tears in her eyes, hot tears that even steamed as they fell down her cheeks.

"But I should be able to." She told him. "I can control my outer power; the inside shouldn't be that different."

"You know, Balin told me something the other day." Thorin told her trying to change the subject.

"What did he tell you?" She asked.

"He told me that great power such as yours isn't learnt or controlled it's harmonised."

Phoenix looked at him wondering just where this whole conversation was going.

"So, in order to bring harmony to you, we are going on a trip to visit your family and our dear Hobbit friend." Thorin told her.

"It's a nice idea Thorin, but your council won't allow it." Phoenix told him.

"They will have no choice; we will be leaving in a week or two." Thorin told them. "Kili, Fili and Tauriel will be looking after things whilst we are gone."

Phoenix looked at him and her eyes slowly grew with excitement as she realised that he was serious.

"What made you decide this?" She asked him after a few minutes.

"You aren't happy, I know you aren't and you haven't seen your family in almost two years, what better way to get you to be harmonised than taking you to where you feel safe and happy?" He asked and he smiled as Phoenix suddenly lunged forward and hugged him.

"I just want you to be happy with me Amrâlimê." Thorin told her. "You gave up your home to come here with me; I just want to make sure that you are happy with your choice."

"I am happy my love, more than happy." She told him and Thorin knew that she was only trying to make him feel better. "But I do miss home, out here is further away from my father and sister than I used to be, I am adjusting but it will still take a while."

"And I understand my love." He told her kissing the top of her head. "After all you are much older than I."

Phoenix looked at him, they all knew that the roles were reversed and she could not help but smile. "But you have more experience." She told him.

"Only in certain things." He told her with a wink and this actually made her laugh. "Now, are you going to join the family for supper?"

Phoenix went quiet for a few minutes before she nodded, she needed family right now and Thorin's family was better than none.

Together, the pair walked down to the private banquet hall and they found everyone inside, with Tauriel and Kili's boys running around.

"Boys settle down." Tauriel told them, she was sat next to Kili who was happily sitting next to his brother, the pair of them having been talking about the battle that they had won months ago, until Kili's attention was taken by Tauriel's voice and he looked to where his sons were roughhousing and despite his pride, he knew it was best to follow Tauriel's orders.

"Boys, sit at the table, do you want to upset King Thorin?" Kili asked, there was a threat in his voice after all he knew the boys both adored their Great Uncle Thorin and their Great Aunt Phoenix. Harin, the youngest of the twins, was the first to sit, taking the seat next to his mother, like Tauriel Harin enjoyed learning and despite his young age of two, his elf lineage meant that he was more advanced than other babies and he could already speak fluent Elvish. Unlike Thorontur, the older and slightly taller one of the two, who was commonly known as Thor by the family, he was more interested in sword fighting and archery like his father and causing problems for his mother and father.

"It's alright Kili, let them play, they won't be children forever." Thorin told them and everyone got to their feet as they saw Thorin, but was even more surprised to see Phoenix with him.

"Oh lass, it's good to see you out." Thrain told her, walking over and he pulled out a chair for her and pushed her into the table, before he sat next to her.

"Thank you Thrain." Phoenix told him with a soft smile.

"Aye, it is very good to see you." Dis told her, walking round to hug her tightly. "I was worried for you."

"We all were Phoenix." Fili told her from where he sat across from her at the table.

"I'm fine." She told them. "Thank you all for your concern."

Everyone simply smiled warmly at her and they all started eating, and soon they were conversing amongst themselves, until the topic turned to war.

"So brother, when do you and my sons return to battle?" Dis asked.

"That I cannot say for certain," Thorin told her. "Hopefully not too soon, I would like to spend time with my beloved."

Dis nodded in understanding, before she looked to Phoenix as she spoke. "You will be spending time with me, because the next war you fight, I will be by your side." She told him.

Thorin looked at her in slight surprise. "No Phoenix, I'll need you here." He told her.

"Dis will be here, as will Tauriel no doubt." She told him. "I will have nothing to do."

Thorin knew better than to argue so he let it slide, praying to him that Phoenix would forget about it when and if the time came.

That night everyone retired to bed except for Thrain and Thorin who decided to stay awake a bit longer to talk.

"You know that you can't stop her from joining you, right?" Thrain asked.

"I know...But I can try." He told him with a sigh.

"And that will just anger her, Thorin Phoenix has been fighting all of her life, she is a warrior." Thrain told him. "You cannot simply change her."

"I know father." Thorin told him and he drank back the rest of his mug of mead. "You know, one day I'll be walking along these halls with a son or a daughter of my own, and then I can be showing them how to fight and how to rule."

Thrain smiled, he admired the strength that Thorin and Phoenix took from each other in times such as this and he knew that one day they would be blessed.

"You will and I'll be able to watch you and Phoenix tell them everything there is to know." He smiled resting a hand on his son's shoulder before he walked away towards his rooms.

When Thorin was left alone, he got up from his chair and walked through the corridors until he came to his family crypt. On the walls outside of the crypt doors, were the names of all those who were buried there, even one for his brother Frerin and his grandfather. Looking at all of the names he read them to himself.

"Frerin, Son of Thrain...Thror, Son of Dain...Glorlund, Son of Thorin...Torir, Son of Thorin...Calanon, Son of Thorin...Ainthithenniel, Daughter of Thorin." He sighed as he rested a hand over the stone that held his daughter's name and he found himself falling to his knees, a hand still resting on the wall as he broke down into sobs.

Later that night, Phoenix woke up to the cold side of Thorin's bed and she looked around for him. When she did not see him in the room, she pulled on a shawl and she walked into the adjoining lounge type room and she found a cold fireplace and no sign of him.

"Thorin, where are you?" She asked herself as she looked in the hallway for any trace of him, the guards had long since retired for the night and she was getting worried. It was not like Thorin to not come up to bed. Steeling herself for anything, she walked barefoot along the stone floors of the mountain looking for her beloved. She checked the forge, the banquet halls, the kitchens, the armoury and the training area, not finding any trace of him, until she passed the corridor that led to his family crypt and she heard snuffles and crying.

"Thorin?" She whispered, pulling a torch off of the wall and it magically came to life with a flame in her hand and she used it to light the dark corridor towards the sounds. When she reached them, her heart broke; there was Thorin, still in the same position as earlier, crying in his grief.

"My love..." She whispered. "Come to bed." She told him as she knelt behind him and rested her hands on his shoulders.

"Please leave me, I do not wish for you to see me like this." He told her, trying to control his sobs.

"No, I will not leave." She told him, making him look at her and she too had tears in her eyes. "You are to be my husband and one of the vows is to promise to care for each other through better or through worse, therefore I will see you like this and every other emotion that you have, because I love you." She told him. "And I will not allow you to grieve alone."

Thorin did not have the strength to argue with her, instead he fell into her, his head resting on her shoulder, and he burst into sobs. They stayed like that until the morning sun was starting to rise and only then did they return to their room, where they simply lay together, the roles reversed so that Thorin's head was resting on Phoenix's chest and she was comforting him. This was a pain where they could not rely on themselves to fix, but instead they now knew that they needed to rely on each other and that was what they did. With Thorin remaining with his head on the breasts of his beloved as she hummed the lullaby of Lothlorien to him in order to soothe him off to sleep.

When he was fully asleep, Phoenix managed to move so that he was lying in the bed on the pillow and she got herself dressed, just as Falla walked in to tend to the fireplace in the lounge room.

"Falla." Phoenix addressed her, her voice quiet so that she did not wake Thorin in the next room and Uldoniair looked over from where she had remained under the window.

"Yes your highness?" Falla asked, also being quiet since she figured that if Phoenix was being quiet then there must have been a reason.

"Can you alert Balin that I will be taking over Thorin's duties for the majority of the day, he is not himself and requires rest?" Phoenix told her.

"Of course my lady, should I fetch a healer for the king?" She asked.

"That won't be necessary, but thank you." Phoenix told her as she watched her leave, before she scribbled down a note for Thorin and left it where his crown was so that she knew he would see it and then both she and Uldoniair walked to the banquet hall. Upon entering, everyone noticed that she was not with the King and people whispered, but she surprised them all by sitting in Thorin's seat at the head of the table.

"Um lass, that's where Thorin is supposed to be sitting." Thrain whispered.

"I know." She told him. "I am taking over the majority of Thorin's duties today as the King is in desperate need of rest." She told the rest of the room. "If anybody would like to object, I will show you my displeasure." She reminded them and this caused everyone else to fall silent before Phoenix tucked into breakfast. When she had eaten, Balin came and sat beside her as Fili and Kili went to go for a walk with Tauriel and the children.

"Lass, are you sure you want to do this?" Balin asked.

"I am; after all, look at it as good practice for when I am Queen." She told him with a smile before she looked at the papers that he had with him. "So, what's first?"

By the time it was time for lunch, Phoenix had a major headache, but she had managed to sit through several meetings, one knighting of a brave dwarf, drafted up plans for the treaty and trade between Erebor and Gondor and christened a new dwarf born to a joiner and his wife. As she sat down with Thorin's family for some dinner, Dis and Thrain looked at her.

"How is it being Queen for a morning, lass?" Dis asked.

"I expected it to be worse." She told them, sipping her drink.

"Well, you could stop and move out of my seat before it does get worse."

At the familiar voice of her lover, Phoenix turned around and looked at him. "You are supposed to be resting."

"I am well rested my love, now out of my seat." Thorin told her, trying to sound threatening, and everyone watched as Phoenix raised an eyebrow, before she made herself comfortable in the chair, sitting sideways and putting her legs over the other armrest.

"Make me." She told him.

"Lass, you might regret that." Thrain warned her, and he watched as Thorin immediately dived for her, scooping up her legs and her body and he picked her up, causing her to jerk up and wrap her arms around his neck so that he did not drop her.

"Made you." He told her, kissing her nose which just made her smile and he put her onto her feet.

Phoenix moved to sit next to him and she kissed his cheek, before she leant up to whisper something into his ear.

"Never hide things from me." She whispered to him, sliding her hand into his.

He kissed her hand before he looked at her. "I won't, I promise." He whispered, before they shared a kiss to their lips, and went back to eating.

Thorin and Phoenix worked together for the rest of the day, completing the tasks that Thorin had been set up to do and that night, Thorin was overlooking the treaty and trading proposal that Phoenix had written up for Gondor and he was impressed. She made it out so that Erebor would never be out of pocket in ways that Thorin would never have thought of, it made him smile. His future wife was a true diplomat.

"Are you going to come to bed?" Phoenix asked him from where she lay in their bed.

"I will, I was just looking over your proposal for Gondor...Phoenix, when you are my Queen, how would like to take over the diplomatic issues?" He asked.

"Such as writing and upholding the treaty laws?" She asked.

"And travelling to the places where we have said treaties, such as the Greenwood, Dale and Rivendell when needed for meetings and such?" He asked.

Phoenix shrugged. "I don't mind." She told him. "In fact, that might work out quite well."

Thorin nodded. "Well you do have a way with people." He told her.

She nodded. "I do...Okay Thorin, that idea sounds wonderful."

"Great, I will organise everything nearer the time."

She nodded. "Now come to bed."

Thorin laughed and he dressed down to his underclothes and he climbed into bed with her, pulling her into him and that was how they spent the night, sleeping in each other's arms.


	41. Chapter 41

Travelling Companions

Thorin had let everyone know that he was leaving with Phoenix to travel to Rivendell and things had all but become explosive. Phoenix had sat in her throne beside her fiancé as he told his council.

"Phoenix and I will be leaving for a few days." Thorin told them when their meeting had concluded to 'any other business'.

"What do you mean?" One of the dwarves demanded.

"What do you all think I mean?" Thorin asked, looking at the dwarf.

"You can't just leave your highness." The dwarf told him.

"I hate to say it lad, but he's right." Balin told him. "When do you want to leave?"

"Next week and it is possible." Thorin told them. "I'm not doing this for any other reason but to help my love." He slid his hand into Phoenix's and she looked at him and smiled slightly.

Everyone saw the look of resolve in Thorin's face as he looked to Phoenix who shared the same look back at him and the dwarves knew that they had lost, but they were too stubborn to openly admit it.

"Well my lord, forgive me, but there is a lot of things that need to be done in the next few months, your youngest nephew's wedding needs to be organized, the treaty with Gondor needs to be finalised-" As he was about to make other ridiculous problems, Thorin cut him off.

"Phoenix and I are going and that is that." He suddenly thundered. "Fili and Kili can deal with the kingly things, and Dis will be helping, whilst Tauriel can take care of the diplomatic treaties with Gondor." He told them. "Now if you don't mind, Phoenix and I would like to go and pack." He ended the meeting there, getting to his feet with Phoenix and he took her hand, leading her out of the meeting hall. As they walked, Phoenix looked at him.

"Thorin, are you really going to be able to go?" She asked him.

"Of course, I promised you safety and peace, Rivendell is the empirical of both." He told her, stopping her from walking and having her look at him. "I will not have you wait any longer to see your kin."

Phoenix smiled and she moved a hand to his shoulders, brining him closer. "Kiss me your stubborn dwarf."

Thorin perked up into a smile and he slid his arms around her waist and he pulled her closer, his lips finding hers. However, the kiss was broken far too soon for their liking as Kili and Fili came around the corner.

"Planning to take her in the middle of the corridor, uncle?" Fili asked.

"How scandalous of you." Kili finished.

"Don't you two have something better to do?" He asked.

"Indeed, but alas, we have been told by mother to come and find you." Fili told him.

"Excellent, your Uncle would like to talk to you both about something." Phoenix told them and she smiled, pressing a kiss to Thorin's cheek. "I will be in our room, make it quick." She whispered to him and she walked towards hers and Thorin's room.

The dwarves watched her leave before Fili and Kili looked back at their uncle who looked to be in a dream.

"Uncle, are you alright?" Fili asked.

"I'm fine." He told them. "No matter what she always has be under some form of spell." He told them with a soft sigh of content.

"Um Uncle, you wanted to talk to us?" Kili asked.

"I did...Come with me lads." He soon snapped out of it and he led them down to his own private study and he sat them down. "Now, next week I am taking Phoenix to Rivendell for a month or two, to ensure that she is well in herself and for her to spend some time with her family. Whilst I am gone, you two will be taking charge of my kingly duties whilst Tauriel will be taking care of the diplomatic sides." He told them. "Your mother will be on hand to help as will Balin."

The boys looked at each other and then back to their uncle. "Are you sure about this Uncle?" Kili asked.

"I am." He nodded. "It is only for two months at the most, I can assume that you two won't let my kingdom go to the wargs in that time, right?"

Fili nodded. "Thank you Uncle." He smiled. "We won't let you down."

"See that you don't." Thorin told them. "Now, I best go and find Phoenix and pack up." He told them before he left the princes to their own devices.

As he walked, he could hear the laughter of Phoenix and her maid Fala halfway down the corridor. Upon reaching their room, he found Phoenix sat cross-legged on her bed, smiling and positively glowing with that smile he loved to see so much.

"What is so funny?" Thorin asked curiously.

"Nothing my lord," Fala told him.

"Just girl talk." Phoenix told him with a smile.

Thorin nodded, not needing her to say anymore and he looked to where there were Phoenix's saddlebags ready and waiting. "Packed already?" He asked.

"It's only the essentials, Arwen sent a raven telling me that she had organised my outfits." Phoenix told him.

Thorin laughed at how uncomfortable Phoenix appeared at having someone choose what she was going to wear for a while month.

"How long do you think it will take us?" Phoenix asked him offhandedly.

"To reach Rivendell?" He asked and he saw her nod, so it had him thinking. "Maybe a week, possibly two at the most." He told her.

"Oh good, I've brought enough." She told him.

"Brought enough, what?" He asked.

"Clothes for the travelling." She told him with a roll of her eyes. "This is not the trek with the company remember."

"I know." He told her with a laugh. "Fili and Kili are sorted, they know what's going on and are happy, I told Tauriel last night and she was fine, as is Dis." He told her.

"Good." Phoenix now could not stop smiling, she was going home! "I'm excited."

"As am I." He told her truthfully. "And if we time it right, which we should, we should be back the week before Kili and Tauriel's wedding."

"All the better." She smiled. "And then it is our a few weeks later." She told him.

"Aye, finally, after two years, we will be married." Thorin told her, walking over and kissing her lips gently.

The days passed quickly and soon it was Thorin and Phoenix's time to leave Erebor and ride down to Rivendell. They had received a letter from Lord Elrond telling them that the day before they were to reach Rivendell, he would meet them on the plains and from there they would spend the night camping out and hunting. King Thranduil and Legolas would also be joining them as they passed the Greenwood in order to meet them in Rivendell to perform the ceremony that would accept Thorin into their lives and everyone was fine with that. Thorin put both letters into his saddle bag as he and Phoenix saddled their horses for the ride. He was dressed in his rough clothes, that resembled the outfit that he was wearing when he first met Phoenix in person and she saved him and his company from a Warg pack, and Phoenix was wearing her usual leather and white shirt attire. Their weapons were strapped to their saddles as well as water skins and food pouches.

"Will you at least take some proper blankets?" Dis was fussing as she hugged Phoenix goodbye."

"Dis that is not the point of camping," Phoenix told her with a laugh. "Thorin and I love the rough terrain, we don't need blankets."

Dis sighed. "Fine, just please be careful."

"We will sister, stop fussing." Thorin told her as he walked over. The only change to his attire was that he now wore the cloak that Arwen had made for him.

"Fine, fine." She sighed. "Take care, both of you, and come back in one piece." She told him, hugging her brother.

"We will." He promised her as he let go of her and shook hands with his nephews and father before they watched Phoenix who was hugging Tauriel and Kili's sons before she hugged Tauriel.

"Safe journey, and make sure you don't miss us too much." Tauriel told her as they ended their hug.

"I'll try not to." She told her playfully before she hugged Fili and Kili and then Thrain who proceeded to help her onto her horse.

"Safe trip lass, and look after my boy." He nodded to Thorin and Phoenix smiled. "Of course I will." She told him and she squeezed his hand gently before she looked at Thorin. "Ready?"

"Aye." He nodded and soon they were off, Carnahan breaking into a run as Thorin's pony raced to keep up.

They rode for hours, the sun blazing high above, and before long they had reached the Greenwood and found Legolas waiting for them.

"Legolas!" Phoenix called and they pulled their horses to a stop as they found Legolas coming towards them on a horse with skin as white as fallen snow and Thranduil walking to them on an elk as regal as he was.

"Uncle." Phoenix pulled her horse up alongside Thranduil and they shared a hug of kinds, before Phoenix hugged her cousin. Thorin watched in amusement before he bowed his head to both the prince and the king.

When they were all acquainted, they carried on, walking at a leisurely pace in the direction of Rivendell. That night they stopped for rest under the stars, Thorin building a fire, Phoenix and Legolas leaving to hunt something to eat and Thranduil setting out their beddings. They all worked well together and when they were alone, Thranduil looked over at the Dwarf King.

"If I am correct, we should reach Rivendell by the middle of next week." He commented. "We just need to keep the pace that we have today."

"Aye, I did not think that it would take long." Thorin told him as he got a fire started.

"It admires me that you still do things the ordinary way when you have a fiancée who can light something just by looking at it." Thranduil told him.

"I prefer to do it so that she doesn't burn out." Thorin told her.

"As long as she is on Earth, she can't burn out." Thranduil reminded him.

"I know." He smiled slightly.

"I was surprised when you agreed for me and Legolas to join you." Thranduil told him as Thorin sat on his own bedding.

"We are family, or at least we will be soon." Thorin told him. "And I thought that we could perform the ceremony to accept me into your lives, with the man who took the form of her father there as well."

Thranduil nodded. "I agree." He told him and they looked over the ridge as Legolas walked to them carrying a stag with Phoenix at his side, carrying both of their bows and quivers.

When the kill had been cleaned and everyone had eaten their fill, Legolas, Thorin and Phoenix were sitting on their beds as Thranduil sat on his playing a flute. They smiled at hearing the sweet music of the flute and it caused them all to relax before Phoenix found both Thorin and Legolas to be falling asleep, before she looked up at Thranduil as he stopped playing.

"Thank you." She whispered to him.

"What for?" He asked her as he too settled down to sleep.

"For accepting him and me." She told him.

Thranduil nodded. "It was the least that I could do; even I could not deny your claim to not only my throne but to life for much longer." He told her.

Phoenix smiled. "Good night uncle." She told him before she settled down in her bedding to sleep and soon both she and Thranduil had settled into sleep.

They travelled on the road for a few more days and they found the place where they were supposed to be meeting Elrond on the edge of the valley that Thorin and his men had ran across trying to escape the Wargs.

"I bet it's been a while since you have set foot here." Legolas told him.

"It has." He admitted as he looked at her. "Where do you think Lord Elrond is?"

"He should be here soon." Legolas told him and he looked over at Phoenix who was searching the valley for any sign of her father.

"Found him." She told them and they looked to where she was looking and sure enough, Lord Elrond was riding towards them, his riding clothes looking more worn than the clothes he normally wore and it made Thorin almost smile, even the elf lord liked to be relaxed once or twice.

As the group rode forward to meet him, Phoenix and him leaned over and hugged each other before they dismounted their horses.

"Ada." Phoenix smiled.

"Lord Elrond." Thorin bowed his head.

"Please Thorin, you can call me Ada as well, we are soon to be family." Elrond told him.

Thorin nodded. "Very well, Ada." He smiled.

"Then I suppose it is only right for you to call me Uncle." Thranduil told him and Thorin nodded his head before he looked at Legolas.

"And do I call you cousin?" He asked with a laugh.

"No, Legolas is fine." He told him and they all looked over at Phoenix who was smiling with pride at the majority of the males in her family.

"So, shall we hunt?" Elrond asked as he dismounted his horse.

"We shall definitely." Thranduil told them as everyone else dismounted.

When they were ready, they tied up their horses, grabbed their weapons and walked together into the small patch of forest nearby.

As they walked, Thorin remained with Elrond and the pair of them walked along the forest path with Thranduil as Legolas and Phoenix walked on ahead, laughing and joking.

"Tell us if any of this gets too much for you." Thranduil told them. "I understand that to an outsider, our people's language can come across as fast paced and hard to follow."

"It's not that bad if I'm honest." Thorin told him, his eyes watched Phoenix before she was drawn into a game of chase by Legolas and the pair disappeared into the trees. "Phoenix has been teaching me well and I have been able to hold some conversations in Elvish."

"I do believe you did quite well with Elrohir and Elladan when we were last at Erebor." Elrond nodded.

"Your sons certainly are wonders to talk to." Thorin told him. "I admire their knowledge of the world that we live in."

Elrond smiled in appreciation before they looked around for any sign of Phoenix or Legolas, only to find none.

"Where have these two gotten to?" Elrond asked.

"Phoenix?" Thorin called and suddenly Legolas was on the ground with them, having climbed down from the tree.

"Legolas, where is Phoenix?" Thranduil asked and they all watched as Phoenix jumped from the trees above them and landed in front of them.

"Sorry, he offered me a bet and I could not refuse." She told them.

"You need to start acting as Royalty you know." Thranduil told her but before Thorin or Elrond could offer a rebuff, Thranduil beat them to it. "The dwarves will not accept you as their Queen unless you act like one."

"Uncle Elvish Queens are very different to Dwarven Queens." Phoenix told him. "But I'm working on that; I just want to have a little bit of fun."

They smiled watching her as she walked on ahead and Thorin soon walked along side her, their hands entwining as they walked. They eventually found a stag and Thorin stayed with the Elf King and the Elf Lord as they walked Phoenix and Legolas launch an attack from the trees. When the stag lay dead on the floor, Phoenix whistled for Carnahan who ran to his mistress dutifully and they watched as Phoenix attached the two via rope from one of her saddle bags. From there they took it towards Rivendell where they were able to give it to the cooks whilst they went to their rooms.

Thorin watched his fiancée as she put her saddlebags down on the large stone bed, which resembled the room that Thorin had been given when he originally came here with his company. He sat himself on the edge of the bed as he looked at her.

"What's on your mind?" Phoenix asked as she looked at him.

"You." He told her.

"What about me?" She asked, moving to sit next to him on the edge of the bed.

"How beautiful you are." He told her. "How agile you are, how intelligent you are and how you fight." He told her with a smile.

Phoenix smiled softly. "You are just as handsome as I am beautiful, even more than I." She told him. "Just as agile, just as intelligent and you fight amazingly."

Thorin smiled, leaning up to kiss her and he moved a hand into his hair as they kissed, however before things got further there was a knock on the door.

"Sister!" Arwen's voice rang out as she forced the door open and she looked at them.

"Arwen, you're supposed to wait your turn." She told her.

"I know." She told them. "But I have been waiting for you both to come here for weeks." She told them.

"That may be so, but Thorin could have been in a state of undress." Phoenix told him.

"Then you would have told me." She told her. "Or locked the door like a normal person."

"Arwen, go away." Phoenix told her with a roll of her eyes.

"Fine, but I expect you both to talk to me at supper." She told them and she closed the door behind her.

When she was gone, Thorin rolled over to that he was pinning Phoenix down onto the bed underneath him and he looked at her.

"Now, where were we?" He asked cheekily and Phoenix smiled, moving a hand into his hair.

"I think I remember, you were just about to kiss me your highness." She told him and Thorin smiled.

"That I was." He told her, and he kissed her deeply, and from there things seemed to take on a life of their own until they were both brought to completion, Thorin moaning his lovers name in his lust filled state before they snuggled close to each other under the blanket. That night, everyone gathered in the pavilion and they all sat around the table as serving elves plated up some food.

"I took the liberty of having them prepare some meat for you Thorin." Elrond told him as the Dwarf King sat on the right side of his soon-to-be father-in-law.

"Thank you Elrond." He bowed his head.

"Ada, where are my brothers?" Phoenix asked him as she looked to her father from where she sat next to her fiancé.

"They are on route to Gondor; they would have loved to be here to greet you both and for the ceremony but unfortunately that was not to be." Elrond told her.

"Is there trouble between Gondor and Rivendell's allegiance my lord?" Legolas asked.

"Nothing that my sons can't handle Prince Legolas." Elrond told him.

"But there is trouble?" Thranduil asked.

"They sent messengers to Rivendell claiming that my father was unjust and that the elves of Rivendell had stolen from them." Arwen told them.

This caused the table to go silent before they all looked at each other and Phoenix was the first to speak.

"So what have Elrohir and Elladan been sent to Gondor for?" She asked.

"They are to try and reason with the Steward of Gondor." Elrond told them. "In a diplomatic way."

"And if that doesn't work?" Thorin asked.

"Then I fear that all ties will be cut between Gondor and Rivendell." He told them.

"If needed, you have the army of Erebor at your side." Thorin told him.

"And you have the army of the Greenwood." Thranduil told him.

Elrond nodded. "Thank you to you both, but let us talk about more positive subjects." He told them looking to Phoenix and Thorin. "The wedding between the pair of you for instance."

Phoenix smiled. "As you wish ada."

The evening ended in them all talking about the soon to be marriage of Thorin and Phoenix and dissolving into laughter at stories and jokes. They then spent the night playing music and laughing whilst enjoying good food and good wine.


	42. Chapter 42

Friends

The next morning, Thorin was up early and he was packing up his saddle bags. His packing however woke Phoenix who moved to sit up slightly in their bed.

"Where are you going?" She asked him.

"I'm going on to the Shire." He told her.

"Why aren't you letting me come with you?" She asked him.

"Because Bilbo wanted to see me on my own, like a groom's night," He told her. "Women are not allowed."

She frowned at him and in her still half asleep state, she reached a hand out to him as the other rubbed sleep from her eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me this sooner?" She asked.

Thorin caught the hurt in her voice and he sighed. "I never really found the time to tell you." He walked to her taking her hand and he kissed it. "I won't be gone long, a few days at the most." He told her. "I'll be back, with Bilbo in time for the ceremony."

She nodded quietly. "Okay, I trust you." She told him. "Just make sure you are home and no naked Hobbit-esses." She told him with a smile and he laughed.

"My eyes are for only one lady, and she is not a Hobbit." Thorin told her, kissing her lips gently before he got up and found her doing the same. "Stay in bed, it's still early."

"I'll be fine." She told him, sliding on her robes and she looked at him. "Someone has to see you off."

Thorin smiled and he nodded, walking out of their bedroom with her and down to where his pony was in the stables, stopping Carnahan from sleeping, and they laughed as they watched him push the pony away from him with his head.

"Easy Carnahan." Phoenix spoke and her voice lulled the horse back to sleep as Thorin saddled up his pony.

When he was sat in his saddle, Phoenix walked over to him and she stood beside him, letting him take one of her hands when he held his out to her and she watched him kiss her knuckles.

"Ride safe my love." She told him.

"I will." He promised. "I will be back in a few days, do not worry." He told her.

"You will need to take a pony for the young hobbit."

They both looked over at the door where the Lord Elrond was walking towards them, holding the reigns of the pony that was trotting along behind him. Thorin nodded, taking the reins from him and attaching them to his own saddle so the pony would follow. He kissed Phoenix's lips gently before he bowed his head to the Lord Elrond and he rode off, away from Rivendell and Phoenix.

Thorin reached The Shire just before lunch and he ignored the stares of the Hobbits who were tending to their sheep or their cows or their gardens as he passed. The Shire was much more enjoyable when it was the daytime. There were flowers all over the place, with young hobbits running around and playing games, sheep grazing in enclosed paddocks and Thorin could see that there was a market a few hills down. He soon came to the door he strictly remembered as being Bilbo's, wanting to make sure that he did not get lost for a third time! Tying the ponies to the picket fence, he walked up to the door and knocked with his large hands on the door. As he waited to see if Bilbo would answer, he admired the flowers in Bilbo's garden, before he sat on his little wooden bench when there was no answer. He decided to wait for the hobbit, figuring that he would be at the market and he took out his pipe and started smoking after finding a way to light it. He stayed there smoking his pipe as he watched birds fly by and then he heard the pattering of feet and he looked over to the left to see the hobbit running up the hill.

"I am not used to being kept waiting Mister Baggins." His mock angry voice made the hobbit freeze as he took in the picture of Thorin, his closest friend, sitting on his wooden bench blowing smoke rings from his pipe, waiting for him.

"I did not take you, a Dwarf King, who is very heavy handed I might add, to be sat on my little wooden bench, smoking a pipe and taking in the flora of my garden." Bilbo told him and both of them stared at each other, as straight faced as possible before they both burst into laughter.

"Bilbo Baggins, you have no changed." Thorin smiled as the hobbit stood beside him and he rested a hand on his shoulder. "I have missed you my dear friend."

"And I have missed you Thorin, both you and your love, and the dwarves of Erebor and the Lady Tauriel." Bilbo told him, letting him into his little 'box'. It did not take long for them both to be sat before the fire drinking tea, very unusual for Thorin, but since meeting Phoenix he was open to trying new things and tea was not a bad thing.

"So, how are the dwarves?" Bilbo asked.

"You will meet them all at the wedding, but they are well." Thorin told them. "Tauriel and Kili's sons are running around causing mischief, Fili and Sigrid are finally courting and Dwalin has been trying to catch the attention of Baztia, Phoenix's bodyguard."

"I still cannot believe that you have given Phoenix, of all people, a bodyguard." Bilbo told him with a laugh. "And I'm surprised you're still standing."

Thorin laughed. "It did take some convincing, but she has gained a new friend." He smiled as he spoke. "The two of them are inseparable."

Bilbo smiled and he started to tell Thorin about what had happened in the past few years, which was not a lot compared to the Dwarf king, but he was having a good life and for that Thorin was happy.

That night, Thorin and Bilbo went down to the middle of the small hobbit town and watched a celebration of the first day of Spring. There was a lot of drinking, dancing and games, it was not as loud as a Dwarvish party, nor was it as quiet and sophisticated as an Elvish gathering, it was a perfect mix between the two. Thorin and Bilbo did not get involved with the dancing or the games; instead they sat at a table and watched the festivities together, each enjoying their mugs of ale.

"To your upcoming marriage," Bilbo told him after they had had a few mugs, raising his own mug in the air.

"To my upcoming marriage to the most beautiful women on Middle Earth," Thorin told him, knocking his own mug to the hobbits.

"Yes, to the most beautiful woman." Bilbo agreed. "You really are lucky Thorin."

Thorin smiled. "I know I am." He took a sip of his ale. "I never thought of marriage until I met her, before her it was all just war and reclaiming the mountain." He smiled slightly. "I expected to die reclaiming that mountain Bilbo, die a warriors death, and now she's brought me back and given me an extended life, I hardly knew what to do with it. But I did know that I wanted to spend forever with her as my Queen."

Bilbo smiled. "And now you will be." He told him. "Have you given any thoughts to your honeymoon?" He asked.

"I have actually." Thorin told him with a laugh. "We are going to the Valley of Peace, and we are bringing Uldoniair."

"You're bringing her pet to your honeymoon?" Bilbo asked with a laugh.

"Yes, Uldoniair is our family, and we want to spend our honeymoon with our family." Thorin told him. "She is important to Phoenix and therefore important to me."

Bilbo smiled and he ordered them another drink, this was not the 'groom's night' that Thorin was used to, but it was not half bad. That evening, he almost carried the Hobbit back to his house and he laid him on his bed with a soft chuckle. The poor hobbit had tried to keep up with Thorin in his drinking and had gone way over his head. As Thorin made himself comfortable in the bed that Bilbo had set him up with, on his sofa, he watched the fireplace, he was missing his beloved. All of the talking that he and Bilbo did about her did nothing to quench his feeling of loss, and as he fell asleep, he vaguely wondered if she felt the same feelings.

Meanwhile, back in Rivendell, Phoenix was sat on hers and Thorin's bed with Uldoniair. The dire wolf had arrived that afternoon after spending some time being wild in the forest of Mirkwood and was now curled up on Thorin's side of the bed. Phoenix occasionally reached over and stroked her wolf's fur causing the rumble of content to come from her chest and it made her smile.

"Just like old times." Phoenix told her.

Uldoniair raised her head and looked at her and she nodded, Phoenix was right, it was like old times, just her and her mistress, no dwarves and no mountain. But Uldoniair had come to like the mountain just as much as her mistress had.

"Come on; let's stop being miserable and go and find ada or Legolas and Thranduil." Phoenix told her as she got up and Uldoniair followed her mistress down into a courtyard where they found Legolas, Thranduil and Elrond all sat before a fire pit and they were listening to the songs of the elves around them.

"Phoenix, we thought that you would be sleeping by now." Elrond told her as she sat beside Legolas.

"I couldn't sleep." She told them.

"Missing Thorin already?" Legolas asked.

Phoenix smiled fondly at the mere name of her dwarf and she nodded. "I am." She looked to Uldoniair who had laid herself down on the ground at her feet. "We both are."

Everyone looked at the Dire Wolf in question and they all smiled, she did truly look sad at the knowledge that Thorin was not there and they all watched her.

"I do wonder how you came to acquire such a companion." Thranduil told Phoenix as he looked back at her.

Phoenix smiled. "That certainly is a bit of a story."

"Well we have all night." Legolas told them and Phoenix nodded. They did have all night, and what a better way to spend it.

 _It was not long ago, it was late winter, and the night was closing in fast so Phoenix needed to go out and hunt some food. Phoenix was alone with only Carnahan for company and she was currently walking through the Valley of Peace on her way out to hunt for her evening meal. A few rabbits would suffice for her; she already had the vegetables to make rabbit stew. She looked over at Carnahan who was coming over to over his rider some protection but she stroked his nose._

 _"_ _No boy you stay here." Phoenix told him. "I won't be long." She told him before she walked up the slope to the entrance to the Valley and then disappeared through it._

 _She appeared to walk for miles and she eventually found a field that she normally knew to be full of hares ripe for the taking. She set herself down in a bush, well hidden from the field and she stayed an arrow in her bow, before she looked around for her first target. Seeing a large hare eating some weeds nearby, she readied the arrow and aimed, firing and watching it hit the animal in the side, wounding it enough that its death was not too painful._

 _"_ _One more should do it." She told herself and she soon saw another rabbit not far from the dead one and that one soon became her dinner as well. "That should do it." She told herself as she pulled the arrows from the rabbits and she tied them together with some string from her bag and she was just about to head back to the Valley when a sound made her stop. It was not a sound that she had heard before, but it intrigued her. Hanging her kill onto a tree branch to keep it out of the way of the ground predators, she readied her hunting knife in case she needed it and she walked into the direction of the sound. As she got closer, the sound turned into voices and she stayed hidden in shadows as she saw two people. They were from the town of men, but she did not recognise them, they were obviously drunk by the way that they were slurring and nearly falling into each other. Yet despite their drunken state, they had managed to slaughter an animal but from her current position Phoenix could not see what kind. Suddenly she heard squeaking and she watched the men's movements closely, they were pinning something down and she saw the glint of a knife that started clean but in a downward swipe ended up blood stained. They were killing animals! Phoenix watched a bit longer before she saw them lift one of the animals up, the man had grabbed it's scruff and it was squeaking like mad and she was able to identify what the animals was – it was a Dire Wolf pup! Then Phoenix realised what had happened. These two drunken idiots had downed a Dire Wolf mother and they were killing her young now she could not protect them._

 _Phoenix was outraged at the lack of respect these two men had for a Dire Wolf and her pups, and being drunk was not a good enough reason in her book. She looked down at her knife and realised that that was too subtle, and she swapped to her bow and arrows, readying an arrow she took aim and fired, the arrow hitting the one who had hold of the squirming and squealing pup in the chest and killing him, causing him to drop the pup. As the other man looked around for the killer, he went to attack the pup again and then Phoenix shot him too watching him too fall down dead. Phoenix walked over to examine the kill and she found the Dire Wolf mother lifeless, numerous stab wounds through her body and then discarded pitifully were the bodies of four Dire Wolf pups, all with their heads almost separated from their bodies. Her fire burned in her veins with her anger but she managed to subdue it for a bit longer before she looked around for the remaining Dire Wolf pup and found it curled up next to its mother and her heart broke, this pup would not survive the night in this situation. Quickly she said a prayer in Elvish that would help the spirits of the dead wolves to pass on, before she took off her cloak and knelt on the ground._

 _"_ _Hello there." She told the pup, her voice soft, but it still made the pup jump. "It's alright, I'm not going to hurt you." She moved to lay her cloak on the ground between her and the pup and she looked at it. "It's alright; I'm going to keep you safe."_

 _The pup looked at her and it sniffed the cloak, before liking the warmth that came from it, the pup moved to curl up onto it and it soothed them as Phoenix picked the pup up in the cloak and held them to her chest as she brought them to where she had left her food and she carried the pup into the Valley. When she got to her cottage, despite the curious looks from her horse, she brought the wolf inside, immediately lighting the large fireplace. After putting the rabbits on the table to finish later, she brought the pup into her bedroom and found a basket which she fixed up with blankets and she moved to lay the pup into it. She quickly checked the wolf pup for any injuries that needed to be tended to, and in doing this, found that she was a girl. Ensuring that she was not injured, Phoenix fetched a water skin which she filled with milk from the bucket that she kept outside for her breakfast in the mornings and she slowly started to feed the pup, watching it drank at a rapid pace. The poor thing must have been so thirsty. Over the next few days, Phoenix had nursed the Dire Wolf pup, who she had named Uldoniair back to health and the two had been together ever since._

After the story the elves were watching Phoenix and Uldoniair, who had rested her head on her mistress' lap, bring each other peace with their simple gestures.

"What did Carnahan think of her?" Legolas asked curiously.

"He did not know what to make of her at first." She laughed. "He was very...Unsure of this ball of fur that had suddenly turned up with a pair of rabbits." She looked down at Uldoniair's head on her lap and she smiled, stroking her and giving her gentle scratches behind the ears.

"I can imagine that it would be strange." Legolas mused.

"Is she fully grown?" Thranduil asked.

Phoenix nodded. "I'd say so, from what I saw of her mother, Uldoniair is bigger than her which is comforting."

Everyone nodded and they looked to the fire pit, before they all looked up at the sunrise, and Phoenix smiled. Thorin was due home in another day and the thought must have been shared by Uldoniair who saw the rising sun and they could all hear the thudding of her tail against the stone floors.

"He'll be home soon." Phoenix whispered to her wolf. "One more day."

Everyone looked at each other knowingly, before they all decided to go to their rooms and changed whilst Phoenix and Uldoniair decided to go and try and get some sleep and that was where Elrond found them in the morning, fast asleep next to each other on Phoenix's bed, with Phoenix's hand resting on Uldoniair's side, feeling her breathing.


	43. Chapter 43

Family Ceremony

Bilbo woke up the next morning to find Thorin packed and ready to return to Rivendell and it made him smile.

"Have you had breakfast?" Bilbo asked.

"I made you some, and I left it by the table." He told him as he rolled up his blankets and put them into his saddlebags.

"You didn't have to do that." Bilbo told him.

"Bilbo you have let me stay in your house for the past few days showed me the life of the Hobbits and ensured that I had food and warmth." He told him. "The least that I could do is make you breakfast."

Bilbo smiled. "Thank you Thorin." He told him and he went to get some breakfast.

Whilst he was gone, Thorin took his saddlebags out to his pony and he saddled both his and Bilbo's pony and he attached his bags, stroking the nose of his pony.

"We'll be home with them soon." He told his pony, brushing his nose with his hands. "Tonight and Phoenix will be at our sides, and no doubt feeding you apple after apple." He smiled at the pony patting his hooves on the floor in happiness. "She spoils you."

"And I bet you spoil Uldoniair." Bilbo told him as he came out carrying his own saddlebag.

"I do." Thorin told him with a laugh. "Have you got everything?" He nodded to the saddlebag the Hobbit was carrying.

"I believe I do." He told him. "I have changes of clothes for Rivendell, changes of clothes for the trip to Erebor and my best clothes for the wedding."

Thorin nodded. "Excellent." He told him, helping the Hobbit to secure his saddlebags before they were interrupted by a female Hobbit.

"Mister Bilbo." The female hobbit nodded her head.

"Lobelia Sackville-Baggins," Bilbo bowed his head in courteous greetings to the female but Thorin could tell that the Hobbit had no good will for this female. "What can I do for you?"

"Well, there is talking Bilbo," The female told him. "About you and your...guest," She eyed Thorin with approval, which would have made him blush if he was an innocent young dwarf.

"Harsh rumours." Bilbo told her as he put on the same coat he had travelled in to follow the dwarves so many years ago.

"Well are you not going to introduce me to your friend?" The female asked, eyeing Thorin again.

"Very well, but we are on a tight schedule." Bilbo told her, looking back at Thorin who was watching them. "Lobelia Sackville-Baggins, this is Thorin, Son of Thrain, Son of Thror, Dwarf King of Erebor and a dear friend of mine." Bilbo started. "Thorin, this is Lobelia Sackville-Baggins, a distant relative of mine."

Thorin walked over and he took the female hobbit's hand and bowed his head. "A pleasure to meet you." The female was blushing as she watched said dwarf climb onto his horse, before he looked back at Bilbo. "Bilbo, I must insist that we get going, we need to be at Rivendell before tonight."

"What is so important that you need to rush off immediately?" The female hobbit demanded as Bilbo climbed into his own saddle.

"He's getting married!" Bilbo shouted to her as he and Thorin rode off, setting their ponies into a gallop and soon they were leaving a speechless Lobelia in their dust.

They travelled at a gallop for a while, and they followed the roads that led to Rivendell and by the setting of the sun, they came to the grasslands between the border of the Shire and Rivendell and they dismounted. Bilbo sitting on the ground with a wince, and Thorin looked over at him.

"Are you hurt?" Thorin asked him.

"I believe I am saddle sore." Bilbo told him as he sat in the soft grass and Thorin laughed.

"It's alright; we'll rest for a while." He told him, sitting in the grass opposite him and letting the ponies graze before he handed him a water skin and he watched as Bilbo took large mouthfuls.

"I bet you're excited to be back with her." Bilbo told him.

Thorin smiled. "I can already feel the dread of being away from her easing." He told him with a smile.

Bilbo smiled before he stood up and looked at the dwarf. "Could we still make it to Rivendell by nightfall if we walk?" He asked. "I don't think my behind could take riding in the saddle anymore."

Thorin laughed as he stood up and he looked at him. "Yes I believe we could." He looked at his pony then back to the hobbit. "Are you ready to continue?"

"I am." Bilbo nodded and they walked side by side, each holding the reigns of their pony and they made their way across the grasslands towards Rivendell.

Meanwhile, as the day was growing darker and darker, Phoenix was stood on hers and Thorin's balcony looking out onto the courtyard below, before her eyes fixed on the setting sun. Thorin should have been back by now, her family were being generous and waiting until the dwarf had returned before they were going to eat that evening but even they were started to grow restless.

"Where are you Thorin?" She whispered, looking down as she felt something nudge her leg and she found Uldoniair coming to join her. "I have half a mind to send you after him to drag him back." She told her and the Dire wolf whimpered against her leg, giving a grumble of content when Phoenix stroked her ears. However, a few minutes later, Uldoniair's ears perked up and she sat bolt upright, sniffing the air. She had caught a familiar scent and she immediately recognised who it belonged to. Looking back at Phoenix she acted almost like a puppy, yipping and tugging on the skirts of the blue dress that she had been coerced into by her sister and Phoenix sighed, following as the Dire wolf ran from the room once Phoenix had opened the door. They reached the stables and Uldoniair pushed the stable door open with her nose before she ran inside and Phoenix stopped as she felt the feeling of weightlessness that enveloped her whenever Thorin was near and she smiled, pulling open the door.

"You're late."

Her voice made Thorin and Bilbo turn around and they both seemed to simply stare at her.

Thorin could not help but stare, his fiancée was in the most beautiful gown that he had ever seen, it accentuated her curves rather nicely and it left hardly anything to the imagination. He watched her as she hugged the hobbit in greeting before Uldoniair pounced on him, nearly send him onto his back on the ground as the Dire Wolf nuzzled him in happiness that he was back with them. Phoenix and Bilbo laughed as they watched the scene before them, and Phoenix gave a soft whistle and Uldoniair sat down on the floor in front of Thorin, allowing the King to get up off the floor. When he was up on his feet, he walked over to her and slid his arms around her, holding her close.

"Come, Ada has kept everyone waiting for dinner." She told them.

"He didn't have to." Thorin told them.

"You know what Ada is like, quickly go and change the pair of you; I will see you both in the dining hall." She told them as she brought them to their rooms, before she left them to change as she went to find Elrond and her family.

She found her father and her family sitting at the table as the elves started putting trays of food out for them.

"Ah, Rhavaniel there you are." Elrond told her. "Are they here?"

"They are, I've sent them to get changed." She told them and she sat in the chair on her father's right hand side, leaving a seat next to her for Thorin.

After a few minutes, Thorin and Bilbo walked into the pavilion where they had all set up their dinner and they looked at them.

"Finally, you two have arrived." Elrond told them and he smiled. "Come and join us."

Thorin took his seat next to his fiancée and Legolas as Bilbo sat opposite Phoenix next to Arwen.

"Now that we are all together, I would like to welcome Master Baggins to Rivendell once more." Elrond told them, raising a goblet of wine to the Hobbit as everyone else at the table did.

"Thank you for the gracious invitation my Lord Elrond." Bilbo told him with a smile.

"Gandalf was supposed to be here." Legolas told them. "But he will be joining us in the morning for the ceremony as something has come up."

"That's fine." Elrond told them. "Thank you for letting us know Legolas." Elrond nodded and Legolas also nodded.

Everyone soon went off into their own conversations as they started to eat and enjoy the feast in front of them. When everyone had eaten their fill and the plates had been cleared away, they all remained in the pavilion, listening to other elves play instruments. The music in Rivendell was soft and nothing like the booming tunes that were played at Erebor.

But Thorin did not mind, in fact as the music played, he found it as a chance to reflect. Looking around himself, he found his future father-in-law, future cousin-in-law, future sister-in-law and future uncle-in-law all sat around talking and laughing at long told stories with the Hobbit who Thorin would forever call a friend. The entire evening was relaxed, and easy going, something that he sometimes missed in Erebor. Then he looked at his soon-to-be wife and he knew that this trip was already worth it. Without the cares of being 'proper' and keeping a blind eye to what people called her, Phoenix was able to breathe and she looked much more relaxed than Thorin was ever used to. He felt himself smiling, until he suddenly decided to pull himself out of his chair and he walked over to the elves that were playing the instruments and he whispered something to them, and as they started to play a song that they could dance to, he walked over to Phoenix and held a hand out to her.

"My love, may we dance?" He asked.

Phoenix looked up at him and she put her goblet on the table in front of her and she took his hand getting to her feet and following him as he led her out to a cleared space and when she was smaller, they started to dance a slow dance.

Everyone around them watched and Legolas soon got to his feet and walked to Arwen, asking her for a dance which she happily accepted and it left Bilbo, Elrond and Thranduil smiling as they watched them. That night, Thorin, Phoenix and Bilbo walked towards Bilbo's room and when they got there, the Hobbit looked back at them.

"I had forgotten how beautiful Rivendell is." Bilbo told them.

"It is beautiful." Phoenix agreed. "I used to love it as a child, walking through the nearby woods in the moonlight, we will have to do it before we leave."

Thorin nodded. "Good idea." He looked at the Hobbit. "Sleep well Bilbo."

"You to Thorin, and you Phoenix." Bilbo told them as he bowed his head and headed into his room, shutting the door. When Bilbo had locked his door, Phoenix and Thorin carried on to their rooms where they found the door open and Uldoniair lying by an unlit fireplace.

"Looks like someone couldn't wait for bed." Thorin smiled looking at Uldoniair.

"It's you she couldn't wait for." Phoenix told him as Uldoniair lifted her head and her tail started to beat the floor in happiness when she saw Thorin. "She has missed you just as much as I have." Phoenix told him as she changed into a nightgown.

Thorin smiled as he watched her and he stroked the wolf behind the ears before he too started to change into the pants he normally lounged around their rooms in when they were alone.

"I missed you both." He told them as he walked over to where Phoenix was sat at her dressing table, untying her braids and he started to help her.

Phoenix looked at him through the mirror and she smiled. "I should hope so."

Thorin smiled, kissing her neck and they both walked back to the bed, getting under the blanket and settling down for sleep. Just as they were falling asleep, there was a whimpering from Thorin's side of the bed and they both looked to find Uldoniair looking at them with puppy dog eyes.

"Okay, get on." Thorin told her and the Dire Wolf almost smiled a wolf's grin as she jumped onto the bed and curled up on the end of the bed. Phoenix laughed as she watched, before she snuggled close to Thorin and together they both soon fell asleep.

The next morning, they were woken up by knocking on the door and Phoenix got herself up, and wrapped herself in her shawl before she walked to the door and pulled it open slightly seeing Legolas on the other side she relaxed.

"Legolas, what is it?" She asked.

"Gandalf is here, and Lord Elrond wished for me to retrieve you and Thorin for breakfast." He told her.

Phoenix nodded. "Alright, we are just getting dressed." She told him.

Legolas nodded. "Alright, I will meet you at breakfast." He told her before Phoenix closed the door and turned to see Thorin sitting up in bed stroking Uldoniair and the sight caused her to smile.

"You look very relaxed my love." She told him.

He smiled. "I am." He told her. "I was thinking, maybe one day when we are tired of Erebor, we could return here."

Phoenix smiled. "That is a very good idea, we could ask Kili and Tauriel and Fili if they wanted to come too." She told him.

Thorin nodded. "That would be amazing." He told her before he got up and he spent some time getting dressed. Phoenix got dressed alongside him, and this time she was wearing blue dress and her dark hair fell in loose curls to her shoulders. When they were both ready, Phoenix and Thorin walked hand in hand towards the banquet pavilion where they found everyone sat around the table with the addition of the wandering wizard.

"Ah there you two are." Elrond smiled.

"Ada." Phoenix smiled, letting her father take her hand and lead her to a chair as Thorin pulled the chair out for her and tucked her in when she had sat before he sat beside her.

"Ah King Thorin." Gandalf smiled. "It's good to see you."

"And it is good to see you too Gandalf." Thorin smiled. "How have you fared?" He asked.

"I have been well Thorin, looking forward to this wedding since I received this invitation." Gandalf smiled.

Phoenix and Thorin looked at each other and they smiled. "We are honoured to have you agree to join us Gandalf."

Gandalf simply smiled at her and he raised his small chalice to her and Phoenix nodded her head in return.

"So, my lord Elrond, how is this ceremony going to go?" Gandalf asked and everyone looked to the Elf Lord.

"Well, for starters, Phoenix and Thorin are to be separated for a few hours, Thorin will be kept entertained by yourself, King Thranduil, young Bilbo and Legolas." If the Elf noticed the look of distaste on Thorin's face, he did not comment on it. "Phoenix will be kept entertained by myself and Arwen. Then we will go to the sacred waters and from there, Thorin and Phoenix will almost perform a small marriage ceremony, to show his intention to remain as part of our family." Elrond told them.

"And then there is a feast and dancing, and maybe Phoenix could play her fiddle?" Arwen told them before she looked to her sister.

Phoenix looked at her. "If permitted." She told her and Arwen smiled wide.

Thorin looked at her. "You have not played for me yet." He told her.

"She hasn't sung for you either." Gandalf told him. "Phoenix's voice is amazing."

Everyone looked to Phoenix who was showing a hint of a blush in embarrassment, but she never said anything about it.

After a few hours, Thorin was being entertained by stories from Legolas and Thranduil about battles long since passed as he and Bilbo lounged in chairs and smoked on their pipes. They were all relaxed in the afternoon sun of the valley.

"So what am I meant to be doing?" Thorin asked.

"Well usually, we would be translating the vows to you, but since you understand Elvish, that isn't necessary." Thranduil told him.

Thorin nodded. "How does the ceremony go?" He asked.

"It is pretty simple." Legolas told him. "You will wait in the hall with myself and Gandalf and then we will all sit around a table." He told him. "At the table will be my father and Elrond sitting with Bilbo who is playing the role of a brother to you." He continued. "Then you will enter and sit opposite Elrond and my father and a pre-marriage promise will be made."

"What does the promise entail?" Bilbo asked.

"Just that Thorin will promise to abide my Phoenix's way of life, that he will love her, cherish her, die for her." Thranduil told them. "He needs to promise to be a husband who will respect her Elvish heritage."

Thorin nodded. "Without a doubt." He told them. "Now, what else is there?"

"That's it really and then there is a feast and dancing and music." Legolas shrugged.

Thorin nodded. "It doesn't sound that bad."

"You just have to do it in front of the congregation of Rivendell." Legolas shrugged.

"Wait, what?" Thorin asked, looking at him in alarm.

"Yeah, missed that bit didn't you?" Legolas asked with a laugh.

"Not funny Legless." Thorin told him and he smirked when the elf prince scowled at his 'nickname'

"Okay let us not start fighting." Thranduil told them as he sipped his glass of wine and Legolas backed down immediately and Thorin smirked around his pipe.

After a few minutes of silence between the men, there was a soft scratching at the door and Bilbo went to open it, finding Uldoniair sat on the floor behind it.

"I think it's time we were going." Bilbo told the group inside and they all got up from their chairs and followed the Dire Wolf who led them to a room and Thorin could hear the small mutterings of Elvish from inside, there was a lot of Elves in there.

The ceremony went off without a hitch, Thorin repeating the Elvish vows fluently and he knew that praise was whispered to Phoenix when she bowed her head ever so slightly to Legolas who had whispered it. That evening, they had gathered in a much grander pavilion to enjoy their celebration meal and dancing. Thorin sat in his chair at the head of the table as he watched Phoenix dance with Elrond as Arwen danced with Thranduil and Bilbo danced with a young female elf. He sat with Legolas at the table and he looked at the woodland prince.

"I know it's not easy on you." Thorin told him.

"What do you mean?" Legolas asked.

"With me being a dwarf." Thorin told him. "But I do love her Legolas, and I will make her happy."

Legolas nodded looking at him. "I believe you." He told her. "It's your people that I don't think will make her happy."

"Many of my people adore her." He told him. "It's just those that don't, certainly make themselves known to her." He sighed. "I just want her happy."

"With you she is happy, but as a suggestion, Thorin do not spend all of your time in the mountain." Legolas told him. "Go for rides together, or to the mountains, just spend time together, don't get carried away with your duties."

Thorin nodded. "You have my word."

Legolas smiled and he looked up as the song ended and Phoenix and Elrond walked over to the table. When they reached them, Phoenix looked at Thorin and she held out her hand to him.

"Come my love, you have yet to dance with me." She told him.

Thorin smiled and he took in her outfit, it was a soft lilac dress, her tiara placed on her head shining in the light of the candles and lanterns. She looked like what he imagined a goddess to look like and it made him smile.

"Of course my love." He told her as he got to his feet and took her hand, letting her change her height before they walked towards the dance floor where everyone had moved to give them room.

"Just like we practised." She whispered to him as he took her waist.

Thorin nodded and they started to dance to the music being played, soon they were joined by other couples and they all danced together, Thorin and Phoenix being in their own world where nothing mattered but each other and it made Thorin love her all the more. Eventually it was time for the celebrations to come to a close and Thorin and Phoenix walked Bilbo back to his room.

"Thank you for letting me be a part of this Phoenix." Bilbo told her with a smile.

"It's a pleasure and an honour to have you here Bilbo." Phoenix told him with a smile. "It would not be right if you weren't here."

Bilbo smiled and hugged her, before he and Thorin shared a hug in friendship. "Good night to you both." He told them before he went into his room.

When they were alone, Thorin spun Phoenix around and dipped her in a quick dance, the surprise caused her to giggle.

"Thorin what are you doing?" She asked him.

"Looking at the most beautiful dwarvish elf in the whole of middle earth," He told her truthfully, leaning down to kiss her, his strength never failing to hold her in the position he had put her in.

"I am not that beautiful." She told him when he allowed her to stand properly.

"Oh believe me, you are, and everyone knows it." He told her. "Many are jealous of your beauty and your power over the men."

Phoenix shook her head in disbelief, before she cheekily backed Thorin into the nearest wall. "Well, if I have power over men." She told him, moving a hand down his chest over his clothes until she stopped just below the waist band of the pants and she heard Thorin's breath catch in his throat. "Why don't you show me just how much power I have?"

Thorin went to grab her to do exactly that, but Phoenix was gone, running down the hallway to their bedroom and Thorin chuckled before following her. When he reached their room, he found her leaning against the bed posts looking at him.

"What took you so long, my lord?" She asked, her smile oozing seductiveness and lust and she walked over to the fireplace, kneeling down on the rug and setting the fire alight.

Thorin walked over, shutting the door and locking it, his walk was kingly and arrogant, she had played this game before and she knew it got his blood boiling. He sat himself in a nearby chair by the fire and he watched her.

"Work." He told her simply. "Why don't you come over her and help me relieve some of this stress?" He asked looking at her.

"Is that an order my lord?" She asked, cheekily.

"Yes." He told her and Phoenix slid along the floor to him, looking up at him as she perched on her knees in front of him.

"How would you like me to relieve your stress my lord?" She asked.

Thorin looked at her, and just by seeing her in this position, he was starting to feel himself harden and he looked at her. "I'm sure you could think of something." He told her.

Phoenix gave him a thoughtful smile and she moved to untie his pants and when his member was revealed to her, she pulled it from his pants and started to stroke it with her hand. She smirked at hearing Thorin's sharp intake of breathe, and when she felt him grow hard fully hard in her hand, she slid his member into her mouth. At feeling the touch of her lips on his member, Thorin's hips jerked into her, forcing himself deeper into her mouth. As she sucked on him, Thorin's hands wound themselves into her hair.

"Phoenix, stop...I'm going to come..." He gasped out as he used his grip on her hair to move her off his member.

Phoenix smiled as she looked at him. "Is there any other way that I can relieve your stress my lord?"

Thorin looked at her. "Maybe you could put my cock somewhere else?" He suggested.

Phoenix smiled and got to her feet, before she moved a hand to her left sleeve and she gently pulled it down off her shoulder, before she did the same with the other one. Thorin watched her and he stroked his member making sure he stayed hard. Phoenix pushed the dress down, showing her entire naked body to him and Thorin could not help the groan of pleasure that escaped his lips.

"What would you like me to do sir?" She asked.

"I want you to straddle me and ride me to no end." He told her.

Phoenix smiled and she straddled his lap as he sat in the chair, before she rested her moist centre just above his member.

"I love you." He told her, his hands coming up to massage her breasts.

"I love you too." She told him with a moan as he rubbed her breasts, and she took his member in her hands lining it up with her entrance and she sunk down on his member. The feeling of him stretching her had Phoenix groaning in delight. Thorin pushed his hips up into her as she fucked himself on his member.

"You're so tight..." He groaned. "So fucking good..."

"Oh gods...I love you...You feel so good..." She moaned. "Oh gods...I'm going to come..." She moaned.

"Come for me my Queen...Come for me..." He panted.

She moaned loudly as she felt her inner coil tightening until suddenly it snapped and she came with a scream. Thorin gasped as he felt her come, her passage squeezing his member and after a few more pumps inside of her, her came with a roar, burying his face into her neck. When they were spent, Phoenix rested against him as Thorin carried her to the bed and lay her down under the blanket.

"Sleep my love." He whispered to her.

"You too my love." She told him, snuggling into him when he lay beside her.

That night, they slept peacefully side by side; they spent the next two days with Phoenix's family and they both enjoyed their peace and quiet.

Soon they started their journey back to Erebor, with Phoenix and Thorin riding together as Elrond and Thranduil rode next to the carriage that Arwen and Bilbo were sat in. They were joined by Elladan and Elrohir as they left the grasslands outside of Rivendell and from there they all travelled towards Erebor. They stopped numerous times for rest and food, always finding good places to sleep and good game to hunt, with Thorin and Elrond taking some turns with hunting together. One night, it was the turn of Elrond and Thorin to go hunting as Phoenix, Bilbo and Arwen set up the tents, Thranduil and Legolas gathered firewood and Elladan and Elrohir cared for the horses. They took Uldoniair on the hunt with them and as they searched the started talking.

"You will look after her won't you Thorin?" Elrond asked.

"Of course." Thorin nodded. "I just wish that we could have our own family, Phoenix is heartbroken about it."

"I have noticed." Elrond told him. "A few nights ago whilst you were away in the Shire, we found her stood by the balcony adjacent to the banquet pavilion and she was watching a mother and her child." He explained. "She looked so lost and I did not know how to comfort her." He admitted. "But I sat up all night with her as she sobbed; I do not think that she had truly grieved for any of your children because of what people expect of her." Elrond told him. "But that night she started to."

"She hadn't." Thorin sighed. "It's one of the reasons why I organised this trip." Thorin told him. "I knew she had cried but I had not seen her grieve, I grieved and she consoled me, when it should have been the other way around." He sighed. "I felt like less of a husband than I ever had."

Elrond nodded. "I know that it can be hard to understand what Phoenix needs, I still have trouble with it, like her mother before her, she is strong but sometimes too strong." He sighed. "I thank you for what you have done, Thorin." He told him. "She has taken comfort."

Thorin smiled. "I've been so happy to see her be so positive during this visit." Thorin told him. "I have wanted to see this for so long."

Elrond nodded. "She will be fine when we reach Erebor tomorrow." Elrond promised him.

"I hope so." He sighed.

Soon enough they came across a buck and working together, they brought him down before Thorin carried him back to the camp. That night he settled down in his tent next to his fiancée and he slid his arm over her from behind, pulling her close as he kissed her head.

"Not with my father less than a few feet away." She mumbled.

"That was not my intent." He told her with a chuckle. "I merely wish to hold my fiancée." He told her. "I spoke with Elrond, why did you not tell me that you hadn't grieved?" He asked.

"Because I had no time to grieve." She told him, turning to face him. "I wanted to, but no one would let me, and you needed me."

"You shouldn't have worried about that, you needed to grieve; keeping all of that inside was not good for you." He told her, moving a hand down one side of her face. "Promise me that you will never do that again." He told her.

She nodded. "Okay, I promise." She told him, snuggling into him. "I love you."

"I love you too." He told her as he kissed her head. "Now sleep princess."

She smiled slightly and soon fell asleep; waking early to see to the horses before they continued their journey to Erebor and Phoenix found herself to almost dread her return. She knew what awaited her and she was certainly not happy about it.


	44. Chapter 44

Wedding Ceremony

Back in Erebor, Tauriel and Kili had been working on the decorations for their wedding whilst Phoenix and Thorin had been away. Now everything was ready, the feasts were being prepared, Tauriel's dress was ready, Kili's wedding outfit was ready and waiting in his rooms and even the boys had some new outfits. The flowers had been ordered and the room was being decorated with flowers, jewels and gold, the vows had been written and the rings had been made. At that moment, Tauriel and Kili were spending some time with their boys and they were sitting together in the banquet hall of Erebor to help their children to practice some Elvish writing.

"Ada, I can't do this." Thorontur whined.

"Yes you can." Kili told him and he moved to sit beside him. "Look, you need to know Elvish; it is part of your heritage through your mother just like you will eventually learn Khazudul because of me." He repeated.

"I don't want to though, no one uses it." He complained.

"Mummy does use Elvish." The smaller voice of Harin spoke up.

"Shut up." Thorontur hissed.

"Thorontur that's enough," Tauriel warned and the older twin shrank back into the chair that he was sitting in. "Elvish is an important part of your heritage, when you become Lords like your father and Uncle you will be sent on missions that may require the Elvish tongue."

Thorontur knew not to argue with his mother, unlike his father, who admired him for being able to argue for what he wanted, Tauriel was never one to take the arguing and was fond of sending him to his room without supper for even thinking that he could argue with her. Soon the door opened to find Fili and Sigrid walking in, Sigrid's stomach was happily swollen in pregnancy and Tauriel smiled at seeing her friend.

"Sigrid, here, come sit." Tauriel told her as she got up and pulled a chair out for her and Sigrid happily sat herself in it.

"Thank you Tauriel." She smiled before she looked at what the boys had been writing. "You boys are learning Elvish?"

Thorontur and Harin nodded and they watched Fili walk over and stand behind his pregnant lover, his hands on her shoulders.

"Trying." Kili told them. "Thorontur is being a bit...Reluctant."

"A bit like you then?" Fili asked and the brother's laughed.

Whilst Kili and Fili laughed, Tauriel looked at Sigrid. "How are things?" She nodded to the bump.

"Things are well." She told her with a smile. "The little one is growing strong." She sighed.

"What's wrong?" Tauriel asked.

"I still have to tell Phoenix." Sigrid told her. "Do you think she will be happy?"

Tauriel nodded. "I do."

They smiled at each other, before the doors opened again and Dis walked in. "Ah, there you all are, Thorin and Phoenix have returned." She told them.

At hearing that Thorin and Phoenix were back, Elvish was forgotten about and Harin and Thorontur ran down to the stables with their father, mother, aunt and uncle following closely behind.

They reached the stables quickly, where they found Legolas and Thorin helping Arwen down from her carriage which remained outside, Elrond and Thranduil fetching their saddle bags and Phoenix talking with Bilbo as they brushed down their horses.

"Auntie!"

The voices of Thorontur and Harin echoed around the stables and Phoenix was suddenly ambushed by two young dwarven elves who hugged her tightly from left and right.

"Hello my nephews." Phoenix smiled, she did not bother with the 'Great-' part of the boy's title and she hugged them.

Thorin looked over and he smiled slightly at seeing them, he and Phoenix had no children, but they treated Kili and Tauriel's sons as their own when they needed to.

"Excuse me you two, what about your King?" Thorin asked and the boys looked at each other and then ran to Thorin and threw their arms around him.

Tauriel walked over to Phoenix and hugged her when the boys had left her alone, and she also received hugs from Legolas and Bilbo and even Thranduil who kissed her hand in greeting before they all shook hands with Kili and Fili.

"Where's Sigrid?" Phoenix asked Tauriel as Elrond, Thorin, Fili, Legolas, Arwen, Dis, Kili and Thranduil were occupied with Thorontur and Harin.

"She's in hers and Fili's room...There's something that you need to know." Tauriel told her.

"Is she alright?" Phoenix asked, suddenly concerned for her old godchild. "Has she been harmed?"

"No...It's nothing like that..." Tauriel told her but Phoenix was already gone.

At seeing that Phoenix had left, Kili walked over to his fiancée and slid his arms around her from behind. "Don't worry." He told her. "Things are going to be fine."

Tauriel nodded. "I know."

"Come now, Kili and Fili will help your uncle and our guests to their rooms, Tauriel and I will take the boys and go and find Phoenix and Sigrid." Dis told them.

Everyone seemed fine with that, so they slowly dispersed. Meanwhile, Phoenix was walking with haste through the halls towards Sigrid and Fili's rooms. When she got there, she wasted no time in pushing open the doors into the sitting room of their rooms.

"Sigrid?" She called out.

"I'm coming." Sigrid called back from the bedroom and Phoenix closed the door as Sigrid walked out to meet her and she saw the baby bump.

"Sigrid..." Phoenix didn't know what to say for a few minutes, before she mentally slapped herself and walked to her. "I thought you had been hurt, why did you not come and tell me of this yourself?"

Sigrid hung her head. "I thought you would be upset with me." She told her. "I thought you would hate me."

"I could never hate you for something like this." She told her, gently taking her goddaughters face in her hands and lifting it so that she was looking at her. "Your child is a blessing, a blessing that must be cherished and celebrated." She told him. "But I am annoyed that you did not tell me sooner, even if it was only a raven."

Sigrid looked at her. "I am sorry Phoenix, but I didn't even know how to tell da'." Sigrid told her. "He took it well though."

Phoenix smiled. "I thought he would." She told her as they sat by the fireplace that Phoenix had roaring to life.

Dis and Tauriel soon found them and the ladies all joined in sitting around the fire and before Phoenix realised what was happening, Dis and Sigrid were knitting clothes, Tauriel was reading a book and Phoenix herself was sharpening one of her swords in comfortable silence as Uldoniair lay at her feet when she eventually joined them.

Eventually Thorin and Phoenix had eaten supper with their guests and family, before they retired with Uldoniair to their room. Thorin came in from the bathroom, wearing nothing but a pair of loose pants, and drying his hair with a towel and he found Phoenix wearing his favourite almost see-through nightgown, looking out of the window, a shawl around her shoulders, and her loose hair flowing just under her shoulders.

"What's on your mind?" He asked.

"Sigrid is pregnant...Tauriel and Kili have two wonderful and strong sons." She told him. "We have...A Dire Wolf."

"Personally, I prefer the Dire Wolf." Thorin told her as Uldoniair raised her head from where she was lying on the bear skin by the fireplace and he smiled at her, stroking her ears before he slid his arms around Phoenix from behind. "Is that what made you so quiet at supper, you wish it was you?"

Phoenix turned to look at him. "Does it make me selfish?" She asked.

"No." Thorin told her, pressing his forehead against hers and he watched her eyes close before his done the same. "It doesn't, it makes you determined." He told her. "It makes you determined to have a baby one day, to reach that point, and who knows, once we are married maybe it will be our turn."

Phoenix nodded. "I hope so." She told him.

"It will, we just need to give it a bit more time." He told her, moving away to press and lingering kiss to her forehead. "Now, onto a pressing matter, why did you not bring this nightdress with you when we went to Rivendell?" He asked, gently moving a hand to hold her waist.

She opened her eyes look at him and found his normally stormy blue eyes alive with an inner fire. "Because I know what it does to you, and we have been travelling all day, I thought that I would help you to relax."

At her words, Uldoniair left the room and Thorin walked to the door, closing it and locking it, before he walked to her and held her close to him, his lips pressing to hers and he led her to their bed where they spent the rest of the night 'relaxing'.

Days passed in a blur of activity, Thorin went back to kingly duties, Phoenix worked with Baztia and Dwalin as they kept Thorontur and Harin occupied in the training rooms, teaching Thorontur the way of the sword whilst she taught Harin the ways of the bow. Uldoniair was ever present in Phoenix's presence when she was not spending time with her nephews. This specific morning, Phoenix had just finished training the princes and she walked through the hallways of Erebor to find her sister, her cousin, her uncle and her father in the library with Thrain.

"Ah dear Phoenix." Thrain smiled to her and he stood up, walking to her and the two shared a hug.

"Thrain, how are you?" Phoenix smiled.

"I am well lass, I've been in the Blue Mountains for the past month, I only got back yesterday and I was told that you and Thorin had gone for a ride." He told her.

She nodded. "We needed some time together." She explained but Thrain knew exactly what had happened.

That day, Phoenix and Thorin had been working together on his duties that afternoon and Phoenix had been alone in the private dining rooms just reading some treaties.

"Whore."

Phoenix looked up at the word and she saw a maid glaring at her from across the table, who had been cleaning up the dishes that the family had left from lunch a few moments ago.

"Excuse me?" Phoenix asked.

"Deaf as well as a whore." She sneered. "You don't deserve our King; you deserve to be cast out."

"That's enough."

The voice made them look to the door and they found Thorin there, after he had come to find Phoenix to see how she was getting on with the treaties and at seeing the King, the maid froze.

"My King...I...I..." The maid started.

"You will leave my fiancée's presence, and you will leave Erebor this minute." He snarled.

"No my love, don't allow her to leave, I don't know if she has anywhere else to go." Phoenix told him, walking to Thorin. "Let her remain here, we do not stoop to her level."

Thorin looked at her, he really could not see why she was so nice to people who wronged her and called her things like this, and instead of turning the maid out of his kingdom he sighed before he looked at the maid.

"You should be grateful that Phoenix is much more generous than I." He snarled. "Now, you must apologise to my wife, and you will be demoted to the lowest ranking job I have in my palace and you will show my Queen respect in future." He told her. "Do you understand me?"

"Yes my king." She told him, leaving the room as quickly as possible.

When she had gone, Thorin ordered that both his and Phoenix's duties be cancelled for the day and he had taken Phoenix away from Erebor with a picnic hastily brought together by the cooks in Erebor, and they rode on horseback to a nearby waterfall where they spent the evening. However, now that she was back in Erebor and spending time with her family, they all sat together, with Phoenix keeping the fire going, they all sat in comfortable silence and read books together and that was where Thorin found them later that evening.

When Thorin joined them, he had some servants bring up some Elvish tea and a light supper for them all as they remained in the library.

"So, tomorrow is Tauriel and Kili's wedding, and then yours and Phoenix's wedding is in a few days." Arwen told them.

"That's right." Thorin nodded. "I'm fairly excited for our wedding." He told them as he looked over to Phoenix who sat at his feet on a soft bear skin rug near the fireplace.

Phoenix looked up at him and she smiled. "I am too."

Everyone around them could not help the smiles that they had from hearing the two, no one could sound as much in love as they did, and it was wonderful to see.

"Will your brothers be joining us?" Thorin asked, looking from Phoenix and then to Lord Elrond when Phoenix looked to her father.

"They should be able to; they said that they would take the roads this way on their return from Gondor." Lord Elrond told them.

"Excellent, I have missed them so." Phoenix told him, before Arwen spoke.

"Well, onto more important things, have you got a dress?" Arwen asked her.

"I have...Ada and Thranduil found my mother's wedding dress." She told her. "I'm going to wear that for the ceremony."

Elrond looked at her and he smiled. "I am glad to hear that."

"As am I." Thranduil told her, kissing her hand gently. "You will look just as beautiful as your mother."

Thorin smiled as he watched Phoenix before he noticed something on her cheek, and he recognised her tears.

"Why do you cry?" He asked, pulling her up onto her knees and he wiped her tears from her face.

"Rhavaniel?" Thranduil asked.

"I'm fine." She told them, wiping her own tears. "I just can't help thinking about whether she would be proud of me." She told them. "I've only seen her once, since she died."

Everyone looked at her, they were not exactly sure how Phoenix had met her mother, but they did not want to ask in case it upset her.

"My love, she would be so proud of you." Thorin told her.

"Aye lass, you're a strong and beautiful woman." Thrain told her, moving to stand behind her and he rested his hands on her shoulders.

She nodded. "I hope you're both right." She told them.

"Come now, I think it's time we all went to bed." Thranduil told them. "We have a wedding tomorrow."

They all nodded and moved to go to their specific rooms, before Phoenix and Thorin were the only ones left as even Uldoniair went to bed.

"How did you meet her?" He asked.

Phoenix looked at him. "When I was unconscious after the great battle, I was taken to a world where I will remain when I eventually die, she met me there." She told him. "I was never so grateful to be so close to death." She told him. "I talked to her."

Thorin shivered at the remembering of what happened to her before he nodded in understanding. Elrond had told him the real story of her mother, how she died defending her child from those who would seek to use her and kill her for their own gain. He almost pitied Phoenix, for she never knew either of them, and all she had was a picture of her mother and father whilst Thorin still had his father and strong memories of his mother instead.

"You are the most amazing person that I have ever met." He told her, kissing her gently. "Now come on, let's go to bed, we need to be up early tomorrow."

Phoenix nodded and she followed her fiancé towards their room, happily lying against him in bed, as Thorin wrapped his arms around her and held her to him, the pair of them falling asleep quickly.

The next morning, Phoenix was awake early and she was helping Tauriel wash her hair in the bathroom, and she massaged sweet smelling oils into her scalp and shoulders. Behind her, Arwen and Dis were sitting in the bedroom organising the hairpins and the ribbons for the dress Tauriel was going to wear.

"Are you nervous?" She asked.

"A little." Tauriel admitted. "But I'm more excited, now maybe everyone will stop calling my sons bastards."

"Your sons were conceived and born in love, which does not make them bastards." Phoenix told her. "They are princes of Erebor."

Tauriel nodded. "I must admit, I did not expect my life to take such a turn." Tauriel told her. "I thought that I would remain a lowly Sylvan Elf for my eternal life, only taking a husband for my family."

Phoenix smiled. "And now you are marrying a crowned prince of the Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor." She told her. "And your friends with the Dwarvish Elf."

Tauriel smiled. "And I would not change it for the world." She promised her.

"I should hope not." She told her playfully before she moved away to fetch a towel as Tauriel stood up. "Okay, cover thy nakedness." Phoenix told her, handing her the towel and she faced her when Tauriel had wrapped herself in and when she was ready, they walked back into her bedroom.

"It's weird not having the boys here." Tauriel told them with a smile and she sat at her dressing table.

"Enjoy the peace." Dis told her playfully as she watched Phoenix start brushing through Tauriel's long copper hair. As Phoenix dried and style Tauriel's hair, Dis and Arwen got her dress ready. The dress was the purest of white with the clearest of crystals decorating the hems and it shone in the firelight.

"Tauriel, it's beautiful." Phoenix smiled and when Tauriel's hair was finished, Dis and Arwen helped her into her dress as Phoenix changed into a bright red satin dress and her curls fell over her left shoulder.

"Phoenix you look beautiful." Arwen smiled.

"But not as beautiful as the bride." Dis told them.

"Of course not." Phoenix and Tauriel shared a smile. "I wonder how the men are getting along."

The girl laughed knowing that Kili was probably nowhere near ready for his wedding and the twins were probably in the same way.

However, back in Thorin and Phoenix's quarters, where Kili had been banished to that morning with his sons, Kili was almost ready. However, at that moment, Kili and Fili were working together to get the young princes ready for the wedding and making sure that they were dressed appropriately. Harin was dressed in emerald green, his mother's favourite colour as it reminded her of home and Thorontur was dressed in red, his father's new favourite colour as it reminded him of his soon-to-be wife's red flowing hair.

"There, now stand together and let me look at you." Kili told them and he looked over each son carefully, making sure that there was not so much as a hair out of place.

"Nephew, they look fine, will you stop fussing." Thorin told him.

"I know, I know." Kili sighed. "I just want everything perfect."

"I understand." Thorin told him, resting a hand on Kili's shoulder as he walked over and he looked at his great-nephews. "You both look wonderful, your mother and your great-aunt will be pleased."

Both of the boys looked at each other and smiled before they looked at their father and great-uncle and beamed.

"Can we go and see mumma?" Thorontur asked.

"Alright, but make it quick." Kili told them and soon the twins were gone, running through the halls towards their parent's room.

When they were gone, Thorin looked at his nephew. "Are you nervous?"

"A little, but more excited and relieved to be honest," Kili told him. "I'm relieved that we got this far."

Thorin smiled. "I am relieved for you also dear nephew."

"As am I," Fili told him. "Now come, let's get you to the hall."

Meanwhile, Phoenix was sitting on a chair in Tauriel's room, with Dis and Arwen and they were all happily joined together talking as Tauriel paced.

"Tauriel, sit down before you wear a track in the stone." Dis told her.

"I can't, I'm nervous." She told them.

"You have no reason to be." Phoenix reasoned, just as there were two small knocks on the door and everyone looked at each other knowingly.

"I wonder who that could be." Arwen mused with a soft giggle and Phoenix walked to the door, answering it to find the two young dwarflings on the other side.

"And what may we do for you, young princes?" Phoenix asked them playfully.

"Papa let us come and see mumma." Thorontur told her.

"Can we see her Auntie Phoenix?" Harin begged. "We missed mumma at breakfast."

Phoenix smiled and took pity on her young nephews, they were still young, not sure what was going on at the moment and needed their mother's touch. "Of course boys." She moved aside to let them in. "Tauriel, you have some visitors."

Tauriel walked over when the door was closed and the boys were inside the room and both of the young princes looked at their mother in disbelief.

"You're beautiful mumma." Harin told her.

"Thank you, nya pia ilma." Tauriel smiled kissing his head before she received a hug from Thorontur. "And you nya pia mahtar." She told him and both princes smiled to their mother.

"We had best hurry and get down to the hall." Dis told them as she stood up just as there was another knock on the door.

This time Arwen answered it to find Thranduil on the other side and she happily let him in. Thranduil was dressed in his best silver robes, his own crown on his head and his hair was as straight as it had ever been.

"Uncle." Phoenix smiled.

"Rhavaniel." Thranduil smiled warmly as he kissed her hand before she got down to the level of the young princes. "And how are you two princes this morning?"

"We missed mumma." Harin admitted and Thorontur almost rolled his eyes at his younger brother.

"Well, you have nothing to fear young dwarfling, your mother is very safe." He told them. "Now, I need you both to do something for me." He told them when Phoenix was the only one left in the room as Arwen and Dis left and both boys looked at him with serious faces.

"What is it?" Thorontur asked.

"I need you both to look after your Aunt Phoenix and escort her down to the hall." Thranduil told them. "Can you do that, be her bodyguards?"

Both boys looked at the Elf King then each other and then back to the Elf King. "Yes your highness."

With that, both boys took one of Phoenix's hands each and they walked her towards the hall after kissing their mother goodbye and saying goodbye to the Elf King. When they reached the hall, Phoenix sent them off inside as she waited for Kili, Fili and Thorin.

She did not have to wait long, as together the three of them walked towards the hall, and they found Phoenix stood at the doors, and Thorin's jaw dropped. She looked wonderful and he walked to her, kissing her cheek.

"My love." He smiled.

Phoenix smiled and she kissed his cheek before she looked at Kili. "You look wonderful, the pair of you do."

Fili and Kili bowed to her. "I still don't see why I needed to dress like a groom." Fili told them.

Thorin and Phoenix looked at each other knowingly before Thorin decided to tell him. "Well, Bard and I have been in talks for a while about you and Sigrid, and it was really Kili and Tauriel's idea, but Bard agreed." Thorin told her before he looked at Kili.

"You're going to marry Sigrid today too." Kili told him.

Fili looked at his brother speechless. "Are you serious?" He asked.

Phoenix smiled. "Sigrid is getting herself ready as we speak." She told him. "Now you three got to the alter and wait, the brides will be here soon." She reminded them. "Oh and Kili, Thorontur and Harin are already there."

They nodded and all but ran down the aisle to stand beside Thorontur and Harin who were stood side by side as Dis messed with their outfits, wiping away imaginary marks.

"Grand-mama we are fine." Thorontur whined.

"Ada made sure." Harin told her.

Dis just smiled. "I'm your grand-mama, it's what I do boys." She told them, kissing their foreheads.

"Mum, they're fine." Kili told her with a laugh.

"Come on Dis, leave them be." Thorin told them and Dis took her seat in the crowd as Thorin looked at his nephews. "You both look great, your father will be proud."

Kili and Fili looked at each other and then back to their uncle before they nodded just as an announcement was made.

"Everybody please stand for your high lady, Phoenix of Rivendell." The announcer told them and the crowds all stood, as Phoenix walked down the aisle and Thorin could not help but smile as she joined him and his nephews at the altar.

"You looked beautiful." He told her as he took her hand. "Now my love, sit with me." He told her, kissing her hand and they walked to the thrones that sat at the top of the altar, side by side and he brought Phoenix to her own throne as he sat in his own, before music started to play.

As music played, the older princes turned to face Phoenix and Thorin, whilst the younger princes did the opposite and looked to find their mother. When they saw her being led towards them by Thranduil, Thorontur tugged on his father's tunic.

"Dad, look, it's Mumma, and she looks beautiful." Thorontur told him, oblivious to the small laughter that started at the cuteness of the princeling.

"Thorontur, hush," Kili whispered.

"Princes, stand beside me." Phoenix whispered and Harin and Thorontur stood either side of their great-aunt, keeping quiet and Phoenix nodded to Kili who gave her a smile in thanks.

Soon both Sigrid and Tauriel were beside their grooms and Thorin got to his feet, silencing the crowd and the music.

"As you are aware, we are here to celebrate the marriage of both of the crowned Princes of Erebor." Thorin told the crowd. "Prince Fili, son of Dis to Princess Sigrid, daughter of Bard and Prince Kili, son of Dis to Lady Tauriel, daughter of the Greenwood." The crowd murmured in approval. "No, who gives Princess Sigrid's hand to that of the prince?" He asked, looking to Bard who was on his daughter's arm.

"I do, King Bard of Dale." Bard told them, looking proudly to his daughter.

"And who gives the hand of the Lady to this prince?" Thorin asked looking to Thranduil who was on Tauriel's arm.

Thranduil looked down at Tauriel then back at Thorin. "I do, King Thranduil of the Greenwood."

Thorin nodded his approval and then looked to his great-nephews. "Boys, which one of you carries the rings for your mother and father?"

"I do King Thorin." Harin told him, walking forward and a little hand held out two rings.

"Offer them to your parents." Thorin told him and Harin walked over to his mother and father, the poor boy looked terrified of doing something wrong.

When he was close to them, Kili and Tauriel both knelt down on their knees, despite mutterings from Dis about running their best clothes, and they both kissed Harin on the forehead as they took their rings and got back to their feet. When they were standing Harin skittered back to Phoenix's side.

"Kili, Tauriel, repeat your vows to each other." Thorin told them. "Kili..." He gestured for his youngest nephew to go ahead.

"Tauriel," Kili told her, looking up at her. "Amrâlimê," He smiled. "My love for you shines longer than any light, you and our boys are my Arkenstone." He told her. "I vow to you to live for you, to fight for you and to spend the rest of my life, caring for you and the boys."

Tauriel smiled at his words and she looked at Thorin when he spoke. "Tauriel..." At her name, she looked back to Kili.

"Kili, I vow to love you for the rest of our eternal life, to love you like no one ever has before." She told him. "I vow to protect you, to honour you and to fight beside you for however many days are left." She told him and Kili smiled at her.

Then it was Thorontur's turn to hand over the rings to his Uncle Fili and his soon-to-be Aunt Sigrid and when they had said their vows, Thorin grasped the crowd's attention once more.

"It is now my privilege to pronounce you both man and wife." He told the couples. "You may now kiss your brides."

Kili did not need to be told twice and he pulled Tauriel down to kiss her deeply as Fili was much more, proper and he leant up kissed Sigrid gently. At the kisses, the crowds erupted in cheers and Phoenix leant forward to Thorontur and Harin.

"Both of you stay with Thorin and I." She told them as Kili and Sigrid led their wives to their chambers to consummate the marriage and allow the brides to change out of their dresses.

Thorontur and Harin nodded, staying with Phoenix as they were joined by Thorin, Dis and Thrain.

"When will mumma and papa be back?" Harin asked.

"Whenever they come back little one, they need some time by themselves so that they can have a private celebration." Phoenix told them.

"Oh...Why don't they want us there?" Thorontur asked.

"You'll find out when you're married." Phoenix told them both.

Thorin smiled at his own fiancée, watching her with the boys and soon the newly weds returned to the celebration and Tauriel and Kili were bombarded by the twins, before they all sat down for their celebratory feast.

During the feast, gifts were given to the two married couples and there were a varied from weapons to incense, to clothing and then to jewellery. Everyone watched as the princes put the marriage beads in their wives hair before the wives returned the favour, braiding some of their husbands hair and securing the bead. Eventually the feast gave way to dancing and talking and laughing. Tauriel was dancing with Thranduil as Sigrid danced with her father and Phoenix was watching from afar as Kili sat on the floor with his sons, cuddling them both and praising them on the wonderful job that they did during the ceremony. Elrond and Thorin were observing the scene also and they looked over at Phoenix and Thorin saw longing in her eyes just as Elrond did.

"It will be your turn soon." He told him. "The Eldar will bless the pair of you."

"I hope so." Thorin told him. "She seemed to much happier in Rivendell, I loved seeing her like that."

Elrond smiled. "Rivendell will always be her home; my people have accepted her just as some of yours have." He told him. "That's all she wants, well that and a happy life with you and a child or two."

Thorin nodded. "That is all I want for her." He told him.

"What else troubles you?" Elrond asked.

"I received a letter this morning, I haven't told her or anyone for that matter..." He sighed. "The dwarves have been called to war on behalf of Gondor against an onslaught of goblins and orcs alike."

"Then we will fight with you." Legolas told him as he overheard the conversation.

"I cannot ask that of you." Thorin told him.

"We will be family; it is our duty to stand side by side." Legolas told him.

"When have they asked for you to join them?" Elrond asked.

"The week after the wedding of Phoenix and I," Thorin told him. "But that is not all...They say that a Firestarter rides with the offending army."

"Do they know much about this?" Elrond asked and Thorin noticed that he looked worried.

"No my Lord...Why does it worry you?" Thorin asked, as he saw the elf's eyes travel to Phoenix who was knelt on the floor with some other dwarvish children and Kili's son's, making animals appear in flames around them.

"Phoenix will want to fight with you...But if this firestarter is older than her...She will not be able to win." Elrond explained. "To those with Phoenix's power, age is power, so the older you are the less likely you are to die by another one with the same power."

Thorin felt the familiar feeling of worry rise in his chest as he looked at Phoenix. He had no choice but to go to war, but he was not sending her there too, not if what Lord Elrond said was going to happen.

"Let us not dwell on it tonight; we have much more pleasant matters." Lord Elrond told him and he pushed him towards Phoenix. "Go and ask her to dance, you have kept her waiting long enough."

Thorin smiled and he walked away to Phoenix, tapping her shoulder. "My love, may I have this dance?" He asked.

Phoenix looked to him and then to the dwarflings around her. "What do you all think?" She asked them playfully. "Should I accept our king's request?"

They all nodded happily and watched as Phoenix got to her feet and followed the King to dance, as they danced, Phoenix noticed tenseness to her lover's shoulders, his inability to look directly at her for too long and the new paleness to his skin.

"What's the matter?" She asked.

"Nothing, just some things that will need to be discussed tomorrow," Thorin told her.

"What things?" She asked.

"Tomorrow," He told her with a soft smile. "They will keep until tomorrow."

Phoenix was not convinced, but she let the conversation fall, they did not need to discuss matters of the kingdom tonight. That night, when the celebration was over and done for that night, Phoenix and Thorin set up beds for Thorontur and Harin in their adjoining room, where Uldoniair watched over the young princelings as Kili and Tauriel had a night to continue consummating their marriage. Phoenix did not ask anymore about what had been troubling Thorin, he said tomorrow and tomorrow they will discuss it, so she kissed both of the princelings on the head and slid into bed beside her lover.

"No more worries for tonight." She told him.

"I'm not worried." He told her, joining their hands for a few moments.

"Yes you are, your forehead is creasing." She told him, kissing his forehead. "Sleep my love, the worries will keep until the morning and then we will deal with them together."

Thorin nodded, he knew that she was right, so he reached out with open arms and Phoenix snuggled her way into his arms, holding her close, he peppered kisses to her head and soon found himself falling asleep with his head on top of hers. His worries would indeed keep until the morning that he was short of.

 **Translations**

My little starlight = nye pia ilma

My little warrior = nye pia mahtar


	45. Chapter 45

****A New Bride****

The next morning, Thorin and Phoenix were sat in the private banquet hall with Thorontur and Harin, making sure that they ate a large breakfast.

"Auntie Phoenix, will we be able to go with momma and papa?" Harin asked.

"Sweetheart, you and your brother are going to stay with Uncle Thorin and I." Phoenix explained. "It's only for a week, and Uldoniair will be able to sleep on your bed."

Harin smiled. "Okay Auntie Phoenix…Can you help me with Elvish?"

"I will." She smiled.

"And can you help me with sword fighting Uncle Thorin?" Thorontur asked.

"Of course." Thorin nodded.

The twins smiled and then they looked to the door as their parents and their Auntie and Uncle walked in.

"Hello my two precious sons." Kili smiled hugging his sons before they ran to hug Tauriel and he held the chair out for his wife so that she could sit down.

"When do you all leave for your honeymoon?" Phoenix asked after they had all started eating.

"We leave around lunch." Fili told her. "So, we will be in the meeting this morning."

Phoenix nodded. "We should hurry up and get down there." She told them.

Thorin nodded and when Fili, Kili and Tauriel had eaten their fill, they all walked to the meeting hall where there was already arguing going on.

"Shut up," Thorin shouted as Fili and Kili took their seats and he and Phoenix sat in their thrones.

When they were sat, Balin started talking and he looked to Thorin and Phoenix as he did so.

"Gondor have asked for our aid, their city is being ravaged by a tirade of goblins."

"Goblins should be easy for a town of men to get rid of." Dwalin snorted.

"They have a fire starter." Balin told him and everyone went quiet and looked at Phoenix who looked at them.

"What do we know of this fire starter?" She asked.

Balin looked at him. "Not a lot, just that it is a male and he has been working with the goblins for years."

The rest of the room then started talking about how Phoenix would be useful and how the king needed to let her come to war with them.

When the meeting was over, Thorin and Phoenix walked to the private banquet hall together and joined their family.

"You're going to war!" Dis suddenly shouted at him.

"Dis, please do not start." Thorin told her.

"Thorin, you're getting married in a few days!" She shouted.

"That is why we are going to war after the wedding." He told her as he sat at the table next to her and Phoenix.

"But what about your honeymoon?" She asked.

"Dis, stop worrying." He told her. "Phoenix and I will work on this."

"We could always go on our honeymoon after we come back from the war." Phoenix told them as she sipped her drink.

"Whoa, you actually think you can go?" Dis asked.

"Of course I'm going." Phoenix told them. "They have a fire starter."

Everyone looked at Thorin and then to Phoenix, but they made no other comment and everyone knew that Thorin would not let her go. After that statement, no one else mentioned it and they threw themselves into the wedding preparations until the wedding was suddenly upon them.

A wedding was meant to be joyous, but Phoenix awoke with almost dread, just as she had every day since she and Thorin had returned to Erebor. Almost everyone tried to ease her fears, from Fala, to Baztia, to Hilda and Dis, but nothing seemed to work. Phoenix was still haunted by the nasty comments and letters that people left on her door or in her room. As she walked over to her bathroom, to where a tub of warm water was waiting, Phoenix pulled off her nightgown slowly. As it pooled at her feet, she caught sight of her body, she found scars from battles long since fought and then she came to the freshest scar, across the base of her stomach, the remnant of her now deceased daughter. It may have been months ago, but the pain had not gone away for either Phoenix or Thorin, and if it had not been for both Tauriel and Dis bringing them away to do things, and the visit to Rivendell, neither of them would have left their room. She sighed to herself as she slid into the water and she started to hum an Elvish lullaby to calm and ease herself. However, the peace was soon broken by the bedroom door opening.

"Fala?" Phoenix called out, sitting up fully when she got no answer.

"It's just me." The voice made Phoenix smile softly and she found Arwen stood in the doorway. "I'm here to spend the morning helping to prepare my sister for marriage."

Phoenix sighed and she settled back into the water as Arwen pulled over a stool and sat behind her and Arwen made a start on washing Phoenix's hair. The sisters stayed in that bathroom for well over an hour, Phoenix's body keeping the water at a stable hot temperature. Arwen rubbed nice smelling oils into her sister's hair and onto her shoulders as Phoenix used the same oils on the rest of her body and then Arwen used the fireproof oil on Phoenix as well. When she was ready to get out, Phoenix climbed out of the bath and took the towel that Arwen was able to offer and wrapped it around herself. Together they walked through into Phoenix's bedroom and they found Dis, Tauriel and Falla setting out things to help get Phoenix ready.

"Are you okay?" Dis asked her as she entered the room.

Phoenix nodded. "I am." She told her as she moved to sit on the bed, watching Dis grab things to help prepare Phoenix.

Meanwhile, Thorin was in the training arena, he had been there since the early hours of last night, just fighting off the excess energy that he would have otherwise used to help his soon-to-be wife. And that was where his nephews found him.

"Uncle, you are supposed to be getting ready and having breakfast." Fili told him as Thorin destroyed another training dummy with his sword.

"And anyway, you need to save some training dummies for us." Kili told him and Thorin nodded with a sigh, walking with his nephews to the banquet hall.

As he sat with his nephews, Phoenix's brothers, his father, Lord Elrond and Dain, Thorin could not help but feel slightly comforted with the sight of the males of his family surrounding him, he just hoped that Phoenix felt the same with the females that no doubt surrounded her. He found his mind drifting to think of his soon-to-be wife and he felt himself smiling.

"Uncle, will you stop thinking of your future wife for one minute?" Kili asked.

Thorin looked over at him and he laughed. "Forgive me, but for once I am actually excited for something."

Thrain smiled. "Aye lad, marriage is a positive event." He told him. "Just don't forget your vows and promise to love her."

"I promise her that every day." Thorin told his father.

"But today is extra important." Thrain told him. "She is to be Queen as well as your wife, you need to do this right and treat her better than anyone else ever could."

"Out of curiosity, when will you be setting out on your honeymoon uncle?" Fili asked from where he sat in the corner with his brother and nephews.

"We set out tomorrow." Thorin told him. "We are going back to the Valley."

"Excellent choice." Thrain told them. "The Valley is beautiful this time of year."

"Just not as beautiful as my bride." Thorin told him playfully.

They all laughed, before the sound of running boots sounded outside of the door and Kili ran over, throwing the door open, and they found guards running down the corridor.

"Dwalin, what's happening?" Thorin demanded as his old friend ran past brandishing his battle hammer.

Dwalin stopped and looked at him. "Some rebel has broken into Phoenix's chambers with the intent of her head." He told him. "Thorin, just stay here."

Thorin was already gone, having grabbed his sword from the door and ran towards Phoenix's room.

Meanwhile, in Phoenix's room, Phoenix and the other women were pushed into a corner, Arwen and Falla being the less war hardened of the lot, were cowering together behind Tauriel, Dis, Baztia and Phoenix. In front of them, was a dwarf, he looked half crazed, and slightly drunk, as he brandished his sword at Phoenix.

"Get on your knees scum." He snarled at Phoenix.

"You dare to command your queen!" Baztia snarled, aiming for her own weapon, which was only a knife tucked into her waistband.

"Oh shut it whore." He snarled at her before he looked to Phoenix once more. "I said on your knees."

Phoenix walked ahead of her friends and family, and she looked at him, stopping Dis, Baztia and Tauriel from coming to her aid, but in doing so, no one saw the knife in her sleeve.

"Phoenix, what are you doing?" Arwen squeaked as she watched her sister walk to stand in front of the dwarf.

"Now, be a good whore and get on your knees to show me why my king keeps you around." He told her, obviously gesturing something rude.

At hearing him, Phoenix suddenly had the sword from his hand by using her own hand and when she had thrown that across the floor, she suddenly had the dwarf by the throat and pinned against the nearby wall.

"You dare to come into my presence." She told him, her voice eerily dark, but calm. "You dare to bad mouth my friends and my family and me?" She asked him, just as there was banging on the doors from the main room. "Dis, go and let them in."

Dis looked at her with her mouth gaping, before she nodded and walked over to the door and she pulled it open to find Thorin, Dwalin, Elrond, Kili, Fili and most of the guards of Erebor stumbling through the doorway. Seeing Phoenix holding the dwarf to the wall by his throat made everyone stop and the men dropped their weapons.

"You do not really need help do you?" Elrond asked.

"Not really." Phoenix told him, dropping the dwarf to the floor and she dragged him over to them by the scruff of his neck. "He's whoever wants him." She told them.

When she dropped him, Thorin stepped aside and watched as Dwalin man-handled the dwarf out of the room and threw him to other guards who took him to the cells. When he was gone, he watched as Kili ran to Tauriel and pulled her into a hug, Fili pulled Sigrid to him hugging her and resting a hand on her baby bump in worry, Elrond held Arwen, Dwalin went to Baztia and pulled her into a hug, Thrain went to Dis and hugged her and then he saw his love. Phoenix was away from the group, shaking off the anger that the dwarf had caused and Thorin walked to her, pulling her into him.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

She nodded against him. "I am." She told him. "You're not supposed to see me yet."

"I don't care." He told her. "You could have been in danger; I did not want to risk losing you." He told her, pulling away from the hug to look at her.

Phoenix looked at him. "You won't ever lose me." She told him, kissing his forehead. "Now, you need to go and get ready."

Thorin smiled, leaning up to her and kissing her lips, before he pulled away from the kiss. "I will, I just had to make sure that you were okay."

She smiled. "Well I am."

"You heard her brother, you need to go." Dis told him, walking over to him. "We need to make her pretty."

Thorin did not look after his sister; he kept his eyes on Phoenix. "That's not needed." He told his sister before he smiled at Phoenix and stole a quick kiss, before he left the women to their devices.

The women spent the rest of the morning getting ready for the wedding and eventually everyone was dressed and Phoenix was being fastened into her own wedding dress. When they were fully ready and even Uldoniair had been brushed and a diamond collar had been placed on the Dire Wolf's neck, they all left the room walking the halls. They walked together and when they reached the doors of the hall that was the location of the ceremony, Dis looked at her.

"Stay here a minute dear." She told her before she disappeared into through the doors with everyone else, leaving Phoenix alone.

As she stood there, she was found by Elrond and Thranduil. "You look beautiful." Elrond told her.

"Thank you both." She told them. "And thank you both for being here." She told them, hugging each elf in turn.

"We would not miss this for the world Rhavaniel." Thranduil told her.

She smiled at him. "What would my parents think?"

"They would be very proud of you." Thranduil told her.

"Yes, your father would be beaming with pride, ready to walk his daughter down the aisle." Elrond told her.

"Your mother...Well, she would be smiling and holding tissues to her eyes as she saw her beautiful child become a full beautiful woman." Thranduil told her.

Phoenix smiled and she watched Thranduil kiss her hand before he returned to the ceremony inside.

"Rhavaniel, do you wish to know your father's name?" Elrond asked.

"I do." She told him. "Why have you not told me?"

"He did not want to have you know it until a time like this arose." Elrond told her. "They wanted to protect you as much as they could."

Phoenix nodded in understanding. "What was his name?" She asked in a whisper.

"Dorontur." Elrond told her. "Son of Kaldin."

Phoenix smiled. "I hope they are together there." She told them. "I hope they found each other somehow."

"I'm sure they did." He told her and then the doors opened.

Elrond walked her down the aisle to where Thorin stood proud, with Uldoniair next to him, who beat her tail against the floor in happiness. When Phoenix joined Thorin at the alter, they looked at Balin.

"Who gives the hand of this woman to this dwarf?" Balin asked Elrond.

"I do, Lord Elrond of Rivendell." Elrond spoke and he gently placed Phoenix's hand in Thorin's.

When he was given her hand, Thorin smiled at him and kissed her hand gently. "You look beautiful."

She smiled slightly. "And you look handsome." She told him quietly.

"Now, we shall get to the vows?" Balin asked and Thorin smiled to him, looking to him to start.

"Thorin, do you promise to take Rhavaniel as your worth for now and always." He started. "To protect and serve her as not only your wife but as your friend, your Queen and your family." He continued. "To fight at her side and worship her as only a husband can, for all of your eternal life."

"I do." Thorin told him, looking to Phoenix who looked slightly down at him from her elvish height and he saw her smile at hearing the promise in his voice.

Balin smiled, looking to Phoenix. "Rhavaniel, do you promise to take Thorin a your worth for now and always." He started. "To protect and serve him as not only your husband but as your friend, your King and your family." He continued. "To fight at his side and worship him as only a wife can, for all of your eternal life."

"I do." Phoenix told him and Thorin smiled, the tenseness that he had felt as he anticipated her answer had almost suffocated him by this point, but it went away at hearing her agree to their vows.

"Then I now pronounce you husband and wife." Balin smiled, looking to Thorin. "You may now kiss your bride."

Thorin did not need to be told twice as he pulled Phoenix down for a kiss and at the kiss, the whole room erupted into cheers. However after the kiss, Thorin did not lead his wife back up the aisle, instead he gestured for her to kneel before him. Everyone looked slightly confused, but Phoenix done it anyway and then Thorin gestured to one of the stewards that was stood against the wall and everyone watched him run off.

"You are not just my wife today." He told her, and Phoenix looked up at him. "You are now my Queen, and I felt that it would be improper to not mark such an occassion."

When the steward returned, he was holding Thorin's crown which was placed on his head before another steward came forward holding a smaller crown and then it hit Phoenix for what Thorin was going to do.

"Do you swear to guard not only this kingdom but your king from all troubles?" Thorin asked her.

"I swear." Phoenix told him.

"Do you swear to preserve the peace?" He continued.

"I swear."

"Do you swear to cast aside all selfish ambitions for the good of the kingdom?"

"I swear."

"Do you swear to stand by my side throughout our reign and pledge yourself to being the Queen that I can leave in charge in my stead?"

"I swear."

"Then I Thorin, King of Erebor, proclaim you Rhavaniel Eccaia, Queen of Erebor." He told her as he placed the crown of the Queen on her head.

At seeing the crown being placed, and Thorin bringing Phoenix to her feet, everyone applauded again and this time Thorin led her up the aisle to their room where they could change into something comfortable for the celebrations.

"What's on your mind?" Thorin asked her as he watched her.

"I'm just…So happy…" She told him, turning back to him.

Thorin walked to her and he pulled her into him. "That I am glad for."

Phoenix smiled, leaning into him and she hugged him back. After he had held her to change out of her wedding dress, and into a new blue dress which hugged her in all of the right places, they joined the celebrations. Both of them excited to spend the rest of their lives together.


	46. Chapter 46

Ready for War

They were due to leave that morning. Their honeymoon was their intended destination. But of course the minute the council heard of this, they suddenly dragged Thorin into a 'quick meeting' leaving Phoenix waiting in their room. Her company was not that bad, Tauriel brought the boys and Sigrif was there a was Baztia and Fall and also Uldoniair and Dis and Thrain joined them after lunch.

"I have concluded that my idea of quick and the ideas of this damned council are completely different." Phoenix told them.

"I am so sorry about this lass." Thrain told her.

"It can't be helped Phoenix, you married the king." Dis told her.

"Dis I don't need a reminder." Phoenix told her.

"But it is unfair." Harin commented. "Mumma and papa got a honeymoon, so Auntie Phoenix and Uncle Thorin should too."

"We know young prince, but many of the council do not like your Great-Aunt." Falla explained.

"That's stupid." Thorontur told the and Tauriel smiled lovingly at the innocence of her sons.

"I suppose there is a bright side to this," Thrain told them and when everyone looked at him, he was able to explain. "You will be here when young Sigrid gives birth." He told Phoenix as he rested a hand on Sigrid's shoulder.

"And Thorin can stop Fili from fainting like a maid." Dis told them and everyone laughed.

"Oh I don't know, I think the King himself might be squeamish when it comes to the birth of his own child." Baztia told them.

Everyone laughed before they went silent as Phoenix got to her feet and left the room, walking through Erebor. Many bowed and curtsied to their new Queen and some even stopped to chat but ultimately Phoenix carried on walking. She reached the main doors of Erebor and she pulled one of them open before she slipped outside. When she was outside, she closed her eyes and breathed in the fresh air before she walked over the walkway that led to the big doors of the dwarf kingdom. Being outside made her feel slightly better, but the haunting fact that she would now not return to her home was playing on her mind. She sat herself in the dirt, watching the sky, already she had wasted most of her day waiting for Thorin's meeting to finish and right now she had the right mind to take of on Carnahan and have Thorin catch her up! But she could not do that, to her husband, her king. The title brought shivers of pleasure to her spin, and last night's antics played on her mind. Last night they worshipped each other as a husband and wife should and hearing her husband's lust filled growl of her new title had made it all the more pleasurable. Last night he had not held back and she found a new side to Thorin that she had quickly come to love. But all thoughts were being tarnished at the game his council were trying to play.

She stayed out there long enough that she was able to watch the setting sun and soon she felt an arm around her waist.

"I have false hope don't I?"

"Please forgive me my love." Thorin looked at her as she turned to face him and changed into her dwarven size. "I know that you were looking forward to it."

"I'm not angry with you." She sighed. "But I miss home." She whispered and Thorin could hear the yearning in her voice. "I miss my valley, the simplicity, I miss being able to wake up in the morning and see the sun and not worry about who is on the other side of the door." She furiously wiped her tears as she spoke. Thorin watched her, and he felt his heart breathing, Phoenix did not deserve this! She never asked him for anything and the one thing that she did ask for he had to deny, all because his council did not agree. Thorin kept watching her, he had only married her yesterday and the toll was starting to show already!

"Amralime, why do you stay?" He asked her as they sat in the moonlight.

"What do you mean, why do I stay?" She asked, looking to him.

"You haven't been happy here, you were much happier in Rivendell, why do you stay?" Thorin asked, sitting on a rock with her.

"Because I love you." She told him. "You are my king, my heart, my life, I cannot leave you."

Thorin looked at her and he noticed the look of sincerity on her face. "Come on, we had best get inside, I will have dinner brought to our rooms, I wish to worship you tonight as an apology."

"Just an apology?" She asked as they walked.

"Well maybe I want to worship my new wife's body for my own selfish reasons." He told her and he smiled at hearing her laugh. That evening they were lounging on their bed, a tray of food between them, simply enjoying each other's company. Phoenix watched him as he finished some meat from a bone and he gave a whistle, the sound of paws on the rock floor following and he threw the bone for Uldoniair who took it back to the front room where she slept.

They stayed there until the late evening, and just as they were about to get comfortable, there was a heavy knock on the door.

"I'll get it." She told him and she slid off the bed and walked out into the main door to their chambers, Uldoniair getting to her feet and watching her. Opening the door, she found Balin and another dwarf from the council stood there looking at her.

"Ah lass, is Thorin there?" He asked.

"He is, what do you need him for?" She asked, letting the two dwarves in.

"Unfortunately he is needed to see the council, something has come up." Balin told her.

"No Balin." She told him.

"What do you mean no, lass?" Balin asked, slightly surprised.

"You know why." She told them, her arms crossing across her chest. "Balin we aren't even supposed to be here right now."

"Lass, the kingdom is more important than what you want." The other dwarf told her. "I'm sorry that you won't be able to return home, now put your petty claims behind you and lead us to our king."

His tone had Uldoniair snarling, her hackles rising as she started to walk towards them in warning, her teeth bared.

"You dare to speak to my wife like that!" Thorin demanded as he walked out of the bedroom.

"Thorin, leave it." She told him. "The council needs to see us."

"Just Thorin." The other dwarf told them.

"Well you're getting both of us or neither of us." Phoenix told him as she held a hand out for Thorin's and together they walked hand in hand towards the meeting halls, with Uldoniair following on behind.

They came to the meeting halls much too quickly for Thorin's liking and he looked to his wife beside him, she was furious, but she was also willing to stay quiet and he gently squeezed her hand.

"When we get back to our rooms, I am going to fucking worship you for putting up with this." He told her, loud enough for Balin and the other dwarf to nod and take their leave.

Phoenix looked at him. "See that you do, or I will think of returning you to the life of a single dwarf." She told him and Thorin saw the sparkle of cheekiness in her eyes, before it was replaced by a hard resolve.

"Be at peace my love, this will be over soon." He told her before they walked into the halls together.

At seeing their king and queen, everyone stopped arguing to bow their heads to them as they passed and when they were sat in their thrones, with Uldoniair between them, did people start to talk, but this time it was Fili who spoke.

"Now that my Uncle and Phoenix are here, can we discus this 'very important topic' so that I can hurry up and get back to my pregnant wife?" He asked, punctuating the words to ensure that his own displeasure was felt.

"Aye, can we make this quick?" Kili asked. "I also have a wife and two sons that I would much rather be spending time with."

Phoenix took comfort in the fact that Kili and Fili also felt like they did not need to be here, and were showing to be just as annoyed as she and Thorin were.

"Yes and my wife and I should be halfway to our honey moon destination right now." Thorin told them. "SO you two aren't the only ones disappointed."

Kili and Fili both looked at their uncle in sorrow, they knew how much Thorin had looked forward to being on his honeymoon with Phoenix and seeing her happy.

"Yes…Well…There is something important that needs to be discussed." One of the council members spoke. "It centers around the battle that we will be facing."

"Doesn't everything that we have discussed today surround this damned battle?" Thorin demanded.

"My Lord, you left us this afternoon with the promise that Phoenix would be joining us into battle, in order to battle this 'Fire Starter'." The dwarf told him. "So, we would really like your answer."

"This is what you interrupted my night with my wife for!?" Thorin demanded, suddenly furious.

"My Lord, we require an answer." Balin told him. "As you know, this Fire Starter will wipe us all out if Phoenix is not with us."

"The answer is no!" Thorin shouted. "I am not risking my wife because you idiots want to see another man burn!"

This time Phoenix looked at him and Thorin felt the annoyance radiating from her, and he touched his hand.

"Our room, now." She told him and she looked to the council, getting to her feet. "You have your answer, now until tomorrow, everyone will retire for the evening."

No one dared to argue, especially not when they saw the anger in her eyes and they all watched her leave with Uldoniair hot on her heels, and then their king followed. Thorin needed to change his mind, that was certain.

Thorin had no idea what was going to hit him as he retired to his chambers that evening. He had been in talks all day with his men who had done all but demand that his wife joined them in the upcoming battle. Thorin of course had refused, repeatedly but he knew that Phoenix was not happy about his answer. And he saw just how angry when he pushed the door to their chambers open as he was almost bowled over by the heat that came from the room. Walking inside, he found himself to already be breaking into a sweat and he found Phoenix pacing the room.

"I know you're angry with my decision-" he started trying to keep calm.

"I'm fucking livid never mind angry!" She suddenly shouted at him. Her anger was something that he had always liked about her and it made him almost smile. But now was certainly not the time!

"And I understand that, but I do not want you to be harmed, I'm trying to keep you safe." He told her.

"Thorin I don't need protection, what I need is to get back to normal." She told him as she sat on the edge of their bed. "You are letting Kili fight and he has two sons that need him and even Fili is fighting when Sigyn needs him now more than ever."

"I am aware." He told her.

"Then why not me," She asked him. "You and I aren't tied down by children; surely I would be a better person to take to war."

"That's not the point." He told her and he sighed. "The point is that this Fire Starter could be older than you, and I've only just made you my wife!"

"I will be fine!" She told him punctuating each word. "I can fight and I will to defend our home."

Thorin felt his heart swell at hearing that she thought of the mountain as her home as well, after all she never spoke of it that way, and he moved to hug her around the waist from behind. However Thorin sighed, soon giving up as he buried his head in her hair.

"Alright," He whispered against her. "I will allow you to join me on the battlefield, and Legolas since he is already comfortable living under the mountain with us."

He felt the weightlessness of relief that enveloped Phoenix's body and he knew that she was smiling in triumph after all it was easy for her to get past his defences, but he would not have it any other way.

The next morning Thorin woke to find his love gone from their bed, but it did not bother him he knew where she would be. Getting up and getting himself dressed he walked to the wall that overlooked the gates to his kingdom and he found Phoenix and Legolas riding around outside and this was their training session. He watched as they both tested their agility on the backs of their horses as they practiced their sword fighting. He admired their abilities and the look of concentration that flashed across their faces. However they suddenly stopped as something caught their eye and Thorin saw it, the scout that they had sent a few day previously was coming towards them but something was wrong. As Thorin ran down to join them, Phoenix had dismounted and ran to the pony that was coming towards them and she shouted back at Legolas to fetch a healer before she moved to lay the dwarf on the ground, his head on her lap as she fought to calm him down.

"Be at peace my friend." She whispered to him. "The pain will soon pass."

"The Fire Start…He gave me…Gave me a…Message…" He choked out before he soon went still and silent just as Thorin got to them with Oin.

"What message?" Phoenix asked as Thorin looked at her almost in desperation.

"He will take you down first….Break your bones…Burn your flesh…He will own you…" He faded out as Thorin felt himself swell with anger and the dwarf died in his wife's arms. He knew what was coming; now he had no choice but to let her join him in war. As the scout was taken away to be prepared for burial, Dwalin, Fili, Kili, Legolas, Phoenix and Balin stayed.

"Thorin now she has to come with us." Dwalin told him. "She is a fire starter; she will need to take out this other one."

"Aye laddie, Dwalin is right." He looked at Phoenix. "I'm sorry to be using you like this lass."

Phoenix shrugged but before she could say anything Legolas spoke up.

"You could be sending her to her death." He told them. "Did none of you listen to Lord Elrond?" He asked. "Only thing that can kill a fire starter is an older fire starter, if he's older than Phoenix then he can and will kill her!"

This caused everyone to look at the elf prince and then at their queen who's expression had not changed. She was ready for a fight.

"It won't come to that." Phoenix spoke up as the dwarves and elf before them started to argue amongst themselves. "And I would appreciate if you didn't all try and decide my life for me, that might work with the dwarrowdams but it will not work for me." She spoke with such authority that not even Thorin could argue and they all watched her walk away and then they all looked at Thorin.

"Well at least that's settled." He told them before he went after his wife leaving the group standing there in slight shock.

Days passed quickly and soon it was the night before they were due to ride out to battle and no one had seen much of Phoenix these past few days. They had sent Legolas to observe the enemy and he had come back unscathed, but he had been wearing Phoenix's ranger cape which was flameproof so it was no that surprising. Upon his return he had told them that Thorin's army outnumbered this army but that the fire starter was indeed older than Phoenix in looks at least. That had sparked Phoenix to extensively train with her powers but meant that she had secluded herself for that time as well. This night Thorin had had enough when he found Uldoniair lying on Phoenix's side of their bed and he headed down to the training arena with the dire wolf following closely. They reached the training arena just as Legolas did and the two nodded to each other in greeting before Thorin pushed open the doors to the training arena. Looking into the training arena they found Phoenix training, the room was unbelievably hot, so hot that Thorin had to take a step back and compose himself before they pushed forward. Yet as they did, they watched Phoenix push herself to her limits and suddenly the fire died down and Phoenix fell to her knees in the middle of the training arena. Legolas and Thorin ran over immediately and they fell to their knees beside her, Thorin gently touching her shirt to keep her steady.

"Phoenix are you alright?" Thorin asked.

She nodded weakly. "I am...I need to keep training." She told them as she tried to get to her feet but both of them pushed her back down.

"Phoenix no," Legolas told her. "You have nothing to prove now."

"It's not about proving anything," She told him. "This is about keeping my family and my home safe from someone like me." She told them as she got to her feet before she walked out of the training arena leaving both the elf and the dwarf knelt on the floor as Uldoniair followed her mistress. That night no one slept, Phoenix remained awake sitting on the edge of the bed whilst Thorin sat next to her, Phoenix's hand pressed to his chest over where his heart was. Thorin enjoyed this simple act because it gave him access to her mind and soul allowing them to share their energy between themselves.

"Promise me that you won't die tomorrow." He whispered to her.

"I will as long as you do something for me." She told him.

"Anything." He told her.

"If I happen to struggle tomorrow don't come and help me." She told him. "I remember your dream just as well as you do, I know that is what you fear, so keep your eyes on your fight."

Thorin sighed and nodded. "Alright," He agreed. "But if you die then I will be right behind you, I won't even wait for the fire to die."

She nodded. "Understood."

The two remained in each other's arms until the night. The next morning, Thorin was in his room with Legolas and Balin and his servants were dressing him in his armour.

"Lad you're worried about nothing." Balin told him. "She'll be fine."

"Balin, I have the upmost respect for you, but I am currently facing the prospect of my wife dying and we have hardly even had much time to enjoy our marriage." Thorin told him as his servants put his armour on him.

"We will not lose her today." Legolas told him. "It is not too late to call upon my father's army."

Thorin looked at him. "You have still not told him that you will be joining us in battle?"

"Thorin I am over two thousand years old, I do not need my father's permission." Legolas told him. "Besides he is aware, he said to send Uldoniair and he will be at our side."

Thorin nodded. "I appreciate this Legolas."

"Well technically we are related." Legolas told him.

This made Thorin smiled and he finished getting ready as Legolas continued to sharpen his swords and Balin readied his own sword.

Meanwhile, Phoenix was getting herself ready; she had told Tauriel to spend time with Kili, Sigrid to spend time with Fili and Fala to help her father to get ready. As she was fastening her chest plate to her body she looked at the door as she heard a knock.

"Come in." She called out and she watched as the door opened and Baztia, Tauriel and Falla were there along with Tauriel's sons.

"We came to see you off lass." Baztia told her.

"You should all be with your lovers." Phoenix told them as she let Falla tie her breast plate into place.

"We have seen them; we have spent the past two days with them whilst you have been busy." Baztia told her. "It's only fair that we spend some time with you as well."

Phoenix smiled, before she looked to Tauriel. "How are you feeling?" She asked.

"I feel fine, the boys were nervous to see their Aunt." She told her as she gently pushed her sons towards Phoenix and both of them ran over to her, hugging her.

"Have no fear." Phoenix told the two boys. "We will all return." She told them.

"I hope so." Harin told her. "Please be careful Auntie."

"I will be." She promised him, kissing his head before she looked at Tauriel. "Both of you boys look after your mother?" She asked her nephews and they looked up at her nodded. "Now go and find Uncle Thorin and Uncle Fili and your father." She told them giving a gentle push towards the door and she watched them bow and run off.

"Are you not worried?" Baztia asked.

Phoenix looked at her and she shook her head. "No...Not really."

"Are you sure?" Tauriel asked. "What if this fire starter is older?"

"Then I will put him in the ground just like I have with everyone else." She told them and they all smiled at how confident she sounded.

"I would love to see this battle." Dis told them, pulling her into a hug. "Give them hell sister."

Phoenix hugged her back. "I will sister." She promised, pulling away after a few minutes. "Do not worry, Thorin and I will return as will Fili, as will Kili, as will Dwalin and Thrain."

They all nodded and soon it was time for Phoenix to leave, so they walked down towards the stables, where Tauriel found Kili already saddled on his horse and Thorin was also saddled just as Thrain, Dwalin and Fili were.

"There you are lass; we hoped that you had changed your mind." Thrain told Phoenix as she climbed into Carnahan's saddle when Legolas brought him over as he got onto his own horse.

"Not a chance." Phoenix told them and she rode over to her husband, leaning down and kissing his lips. "Let's do this."

Thorin smiled and he led the small group out of the stables and to the large army of dwarves outside and they all rode away from Erebor.

They rode for miles, and it started raining just as they stopped to set up camp. Thorin and Phoenix worked together to set up their own tent, as Fili and Kili worked on theirs and everyone else paired up to pitch their tents. When everything was set up, Phoenix and Thorin set out their sleeping rolls and Phoenix looked at him.

"You're nervous." She told him.

He looked over at her. "I am."

She walked to him and slid her arms around him. "You don't have to be." She told him. "We are all going to be there with you and we will all return home together."

Thorin looked at her. "I know." He sighed. "It's you that I'm mainly worried about." He told her.

"Why?" She asked.

"In case this other fire starter can beat you." He told her. "I don't want to lose you."

She moved her hands to either side of his face to make him look at her. "You won't lose me." She told him. "I'm stronger than anyone, because I have a reason to fight."

"What's your reason?" He asked.

"I have you." She told him. "That is the best reason I could ever have to fight."

Thorin smiled. "And you are my reason to fight." He told her. "Now, let's join our warriors and have something to eat."

Phoenix nodded and they walked out of their tent to where the nearest fireplace was and they found Legolas, Thrain, Fili, Kili, Gloin, Balin and Dwalin all sat around it, sharing some venison meat. They spent the rest of the night making jokes, telling stories and soon it was time for them all to head to bed. As Phoenix helped Thorin out of his armour, Phoenix gently rubbed his shoulders and his back to an appreciative groan from her king.

"How much longer will it take us to reach Gondor?" Phoenix asked.

"Another day's ride, then we will camp outside of the city walls and the next morning we will go to battle." Thorin told her through the groans of appreciation at his shoulder rubs.

Phoenix nodded. "I have sent Uldoniair to get my Uncle, we will need them closer than the Greenwood."

He nodded. "Good thinking." He suddenly moved so that his arms were around her. "Now, you know I love you don't you?" He asked.

"I do." She told him.

"Then, this is our night." He told her, nodding to the moon. "I believe that you once told me, a full moon is good for concieving."

"Thorin, we are almost on the eve of battle and your are thinking about this now?" She asked through laughter.

"I'm right though aren't I?" He asked, smiling at her laugh.

"Yes you are, but still." She laughed. "It' a good thing that I love you."

He smiled and that was how they spent their night, in the pure bliss of each other's arms.

Soon they reached the city of Gondor and Thorin and Phoenix dismounted their horses with Fili and the three of them walked towards the gates of Erebor where they were greeted by someone who was more worm than man, but with a large crown on his head.

"King Thorin I assume?" The man asked, looking to Thorin.

He nodded. "Steward I assume?"

"I run this city." The man snarled. "Quite an army you have there." He nodded to the army of dwarves and elf behind them.

""It is." Thorin told him.

"I assume you can all manage sleeping outside." The steward suggested.

"We can." Thorin told him.

"Now, may I ask who this gorgeous woman is?" The steward asked, gesturing to Phoenix.

"My name is Rhavaniel Eccaia; the Phoenix of the North." She told him, shaking hands with him.

The Steward raised an eyebrow. "If I had known that the Phoenix of the North was going to be this beautiful, I would have had a room made up in the palace."

"If you did that, then my husband would be joining me." Phoenix told him.

"Your husband?" The steward asked and he watched as Phoenix slid her hand into Thorin's and he gently kissed her nuckles.

"Is that all?" Fili asked.

"It is, we will join you on the battlefield tomorrow, but first, tonight we will meet in the city to discuss our battleplans." The steward told him.

Thorin nodded. "Our extra back up should be here by tonight, King Thranduil of the Greenwood, but for now, his son Prince Legolas will be acting as his stand in."

The steward nodded and he looked to Thorin and Fili. "It will just be us males, after all, what do women know about planning battles." He told them with a smirk.

"More than you will ever know." Phoenix told them before she, Thorin and Fili took their leave of the man and walked back to where their people were already setting up camp.

"How did it go?" Kili asked.

"Well, he thinks Phoenix is both hot and inadequate." Fili told them.

"I'm surprised Thorin didn't punch him." Dwalin told them.

"Phoenix kept hold of his good hand." Fili shrugged. "Other wise, I think he was thinking of doing that."

He looked over to where Thorin and Phoenix were pitching their tent, perfectly in sync with each other and they seemed to be having a silent conversation with themselves.

That evening, Thorin was attaching his sword belt to his waist as he got himself ready to go and visit the steward to discuss their battle plans.

"And if this is a trap?" Phoenix asked.

"I doubt it, he needs us." Thorin told her.

"I have learnt not to trust the world of men Thorin, they are more conniving than any other species on Middle Earth." She told him.

Thorin smiled slightly at her and he leant down to kiss her forehead. "I'll be fine, and besides I am armed, so is Legolas and so are Fili and Kili."

Phoenix sighed and nodded. "I know." She got to her feet. "Just promise me that you will be careful."

"I will be." He promised her, kissing her lips. "Keep the bed warm?"

"Always." She told him. "But I might spend some time with your father, it has been a while since we have simply talked."

Thorin nodded, he was very happy that Phoenix and his father were so close and he smiled. "I think that that would be a great idea."

She smiled. "Great, though I was not really asking for permission." She told him playfully.

"I know, but I thought that I would give it any way." He told her, kissing her head. "I had best go, I will come back tonight."

She nodded and after a quick kiss, she watched him leave. After a few minutes to herself, she got herself up and went off in search of Thrain. She soon found him talking to Dwalin, Gloin and Balin and when they saw her, they all bowed to her.

"Our Queen." They chorused.

"Sorry to interrupt you, Thrain could I borrow you?" Phoenix asked him.

"Of course Lass." Thrain nodded and he bid farewell to the other dwarves, just as Phoenix did and together they walked away from the group. When they were in solitude, he looked to her.

"Are you alright lass?" He asked.

"Thrain, you can keep a secret, can't you?" She asked him.

"Of course." He told her.

"Even from Thorin?" She asked.

Thrain suddenly got worried, Phoenix and Thorin never kept secrets from each other, this was either really bad or really good.

"What secret lass?" He asked.

"I am with child." She told him.

Thrain looked at her in alarm, a million questions running through his head. How far along was she? How long had he known? Why was she keeping this a secret? Why was she here?

"I know that it is a big ask for you to keep it from your son, but you need to." Phoenix told him. "Thrain you know that I need to be here, I need to fight with you, that's the only reason besides you all being my family for why I am here." She told him.

"Phoenix, you need to tell Thorin, but how long have you know about this?"

"Since this morning." She told him. "And I will tell him, when we are on our way home, away from this hell, Thorin needs to remained focussed on the battle, not worrying about me and the baby."

Thrain sighed and he looked at her, she was right to tell Thorin after the battle, after all he needed to be focussed. "Promise me that you will tell him as soon as the battle is over."

"I promise." She told him and Thrain left it at that.

They remained out there until the moon had truly risen, and they heard the return of Thorin, Legolas, Thranduil and Fili and Kili.

The next morning, Thorin was up and ready, working with his troops whilst Phoenix was in their tent getting ready. She watched her reflection in the mirror and her hands ghosted over her stomach, she could feel the small life growing in there and it made her smile as she closed her eyes and listened to the soft sounds the child made.

"Why did you not stay home?"

The voice made her jump and she saw Thranduil in the doorway, his silver elvish armour shining in the candle light of the tent.

"I am needed here." She told him.

"This is selfish of you," He reminded her. "Your child's life could be at stake as well as your own."

"I know what I am doing uncle, this man will not kill me or my child." She told him and she sounded so sure that Thranduil almost believed her.

"Have you told Thorin?" He asked.

She shook her head. "He needs to be focussed on the battle at hand, not worrying about me and our child."

"When do you plan on telling him?" Thranduil asked.

"After the battle is won." She told him, turning to face him. "I promise."

Thranduil looked at her and he stopped her from walking too far away and she turned to look at him. "I will stay by your side, you will not lose this child."

Phoenix nodded and together they both walked out of the tent, over to where Thorin was and she met his eyes as they joined them.

"Are you alright?" Thorin asked her.

She nodded. "I am." She told him, her hand entwining with hers.

When they were ready, and everyone was in their own sections, Thranduil leading the elves who carried the sword; Legolas leading the elves with the bows; Dwalin leading a fourth of the dwarf army from the east side; Kili leading the dwarven archers from the west that made up another quarter of Thorin's army; Fili leading another quarter from the south, aiming to come in behind the army; and finally Thorin and Phoenix coming in with their army from the North. Everything was ready, they all waited, Phoenix, Thorin, Fili, Kili, Dwalin, Thranduil and Legolas all waiting on horse back. Suddenly a lone man rode out from the fortress that was once Osgiliath.

"Wait!" Phoenix shouted as Thorin's army was just about to advance.

"What?" Thorin asked.

"He asks to talk." She told him. "Would it not be best to talk this through first?" She asked him, looking down from where she sat on Carnahan's back.

Thorin looked out at the man who was waiting patiently, then back to Phoenix. "Alright, be careful though."

Phoenix nodded and she urged Carnahan on and Uldoniair followed her, the wolf's body tense, expecting a trap. Phoenix rode over to the man and when they reached each other they seemed to stare at each other for a while, before he spoke.

"So you are the Phoenix of the North?" He asked, he did not seem impressed that she was a woman.

"I am, and you are the attempting assassin?" Phoenix asked, holding her head high, regalia showing in how she addressed him this time.

He smirked. "I'm not attempting anything, I will assassinate you and everyone you care for." He promised.

This time Phoenix smiled. "We shall see." She told him. "I hope you have a casket ready, because that is where you are going."

He smirked more. "How do dwarves manage their dead, __my lady__?" He asked. "Because you're going to have three children without fathers."

Phoenix tensed, how did he know about Fili and Kili's children? Suddenly a thought came through her mind and she did not like the possible answer for her question.

"Have you worked it out yet?" He taunted. "Your husband needs to look at his family a bit closer."

Phoenix looked at him, her eyes dark. "Make your grave, you're going to need it."

"You're going to lose everything, my queen, can you handle that?" He asked as she rode back to Thorin.

When she joined him, he looked at her as she spoke to him. "When we get home, we are calling for Dain to meet us at the mountain."

Thorin nodded, before he had his guards get ready as there was suddenly an onslaught of goblins coming towards them.

"Du Bekar!" Thorin shouted as they all advanced, and they saw that the army there were fighting was more than just goblins, but orcs as well.

They fought bravely, many of the enemy were killed quickly, but then came the real battle. An ogre, as tall as a mountain and as ugly, or even uglier than a warg, was bounding through their army, flattening many as it went.

"Phoenix!" Legolas shouted and Phoenix looked over at where she heard her cousin and then she saw the ogre. Nodding to him, they both took a running jump from nearby rocks and their swords embedded themselves in the ogre's head. When they landed on the floor, Phoenix and Legolas both saw the man of fire going straight towards Thorin and Thranduil.

"Go," Legolas told her.

Phoenix nodded and she slid off her gloves, before she gave a whistle and Carnahan ran towards her, when he was close enough, she jumped onto the saddle and they went straight towards the heat of battle. Thorin saw the man approaching, and he steadied himself for battle, running in to defend his wife's uncle who was caught up in his battle.

"Thranduil!" He shouted, trying to warn the Elvish king, however it was too late as the man reached him. But just as he was about to his sword through Thranduil, something lunged over Thorin and took the man down before their eyes. Looking in surprise, Thranduil and Thorin saw Phoenix picking herself up off the ground, her eyes aflame, ready for the battle of their lives.

"Don't you dare touch my family!" She snarled, her sword ready, Uldonair skirting around them in a circle, snarling and ready to protect her mistress.

"Phoenix!" Thorin shouted.

Phoenix looked at him. "Go!" She told him. "You promised me Thorin, so go!"

Thranduil dragged the dwarf king from the battle and they went back to fighting the rest of the army. When he was gone, Phoenix and the man started to fight. With swords they were almost evenly matched, but Phoenix did not just fight with swords. As the man locked their swords in such a way that they were close and within punching distance, Phoenix let go of one of her swords and suddenly swung her fist around and hit the man in the jaw, causing him to back away. Just as the man backed away, a warg ran towards Phoenix but as it was about to pounce on her, Uldoniair lunged at it, knocking it off balance and together they started to fight, biting and snapping at each other. With Phoenix distracted by Uldoniair and the warg, the man suddenly threw a dagger at Phoenix and watched as she gave a cry of pain as it embedded itself in her side. At the cry of pain everyone around them stopped and Thorin looked in earnest as he saw Phoenix fall to her knees. His heart was hammering in his chest as he watched her suddenly end up on all fours, one hand on the floor, the other trying to pull out the knife from her side, panic on her face as she worried for her baby. Everything around her was silent, she could not hear the cries from Thorin as he tried to get to her, she just needed to hear that voice of her child.

 _"_ _ _I'm okay mumma."__

The little voice made her smile, however that was short lived as the man suddenly drove his boot into her stomach, numerous times. Eventually he left Phoenix battered and bruised, curled up in herself, coughing up blood, unable to get herself to her feet.

"Your Queen cannot defeat me!" He suddenly shouted to the crowd.

His army cheered to him, relishing as Thorin fell to his knees, crying out for his beloved as Fili and Kili all watched.

"You will now all bow to me!" He shouted. "Your Queen is going to die and so are you, but if you decide to bow and surrender to us, we will let you all live." He told them.

Everyone looked to their kings, and Thorin and Thrandil looked at each other.

"We would not join you, even if we had no other choice." Thranduil told him.

"Well, I can understand you wanting to die Thorin, after all, she is your 'love'." He sneered. "You must be your children too."

Thorin simply lowered his head, taking one last look at Phoenix's still and bleeding body, this man was right, without his love he wanted to die. The man raised his sword and was about to deliver the final blow, when an elvish battlecry ripped through the air and the sword the man had suddenly fell to the floor in front of Thorin, startling him into looking up and when he did he smiled. His wife was on her feet, her wounds healed, holding the throat of the man as her sword stuck through his chest.

"You think that that was going to kill me?" She sneered, her voice dark. "You know what kills people like us." She suddenly had a knife in her hand and with a swift slice the man's body fell to the ground, his head still being hung on to by Phoenix.

Phoenix looked around at the other creatures that surrounded them and she looked at the head in her hands, before she turned to face the numerous creatures that now looked scared and confused.

"Your leader is dead!" She shouted. "If you touch any of our people again, be them dwarf, elf or man, you will perish in fire and blood!" She told them and she threw the head to the floor. "Now leave this town and this part of Middle Earth." She told them, her hands igniting and the arms seemed to back away before they all decided to scarper.

When they were gone, the dwarves, elves and men rejoiced, applauding each other and hugging each other. Thorin embraced his father and nephews, Dwalin embraced his friends, members of the company were overjoyed that they had survived. Even Thorin and Legolas shared a moment, before they all looked for Phoenix. Eventually they found her, covered in blood, sitting on the floor beside the weak body of Uldoniair. Uldoniair was almost ribboned, but the warg was dead beside her, and Phoenix was stroking her Dire Wolf's head on her lap, humming a soft lullaby to her, using her power over fire to heal some of the wounds.

"Rhavaniel, is she alright?" Thranduil asked her as they joined her.

"She will be, she took some pretty deep wounds, but if she gets on her feet tonight, she should be alright." Phoenix told her. "She's had worse before."

Thranduil nodded and everyone moved to sit around them, even Thranduil got on the ground, sitting opposite his niece, Legolas sat on her left and Thorin sat on her right, with Kili sitting between Thranduil and Legolas, Fili sitting between Thorin and Thrain who sat next to Legolas.

"We have much more to celebrate tonight." Phoenix told them after a while.

"Yes, the threat has been dealt with and we are all alive, they are certainly important things to celebrate." Thorin told her, kissing the top of her head.

"No Thorin, not just that." Phoenix told him, looking at him.

"Then what do you mean Phoenix?" Kili asked.

Phoenix looked to her youngest nephew, and then to Thorin, before she reached over and took his hand, resting it on her stomach, hoping he would get the message. Everyone else seemed to get it before he did and when he suddenly understood the significance of the place where his hand had been laying, he jumped to his knees and rested his other hand on her flat stomach.

"How long have you known?" He asked her, his voice a whisper, almost daring it not to be true.

"A few days, I realised the day that we left Erebor." She told him. "I didn't want to tell you because I know that you needed to be focussed."

Thorin looked at her. "Oh Mahal, Phoenix you and our baby could have died…You should have told me…Oh Mahal we are going to have a baby."

"The Valar has finally blessed you both." Thranduil told him. "The Valar has given you a strong child, if your child survived this battle, they will certainly survive much longer."

"They will." Phoenix nodded, looking down at Uldoniair who nuzzled her stomach. "Do you think you can get up?"

Uldoniair nodded, forcing herself to her feet and when she was on it, she swayed slightly, almost falling back onto Phoenix, but she was caught by Fili and Thorin, before Dwalin walked over and he picked Uldoniair up in his arms and brought her to the tent that they had set up for Thorin and Phoenix.

When they were inside the tent, Dwalin laid the Dire Wolf down onto the large pillow and she licked his moving hand in thanks, before she settled down. That evening, everyone had washed and changed into something other than their armour, and spent a relaxing evening sitting around a camp fire. Thorin was sat around the fire with his nephews, his father, his cousin-in-law and his uncle-in-law.

"Did any of you know?" Thorin asked them.

"Thranduil and I only found out yesterday." Thrain told them. "We tried to get her to go home, but she refused, she wanted to be here with you, because she loves you and wanted to save you."

Thorin nodded. "I can't believe that she did not tell me." He told them.

"But you understand why she didn't tell you, don't you?" Kili asked.

"I do, she is right, I needed to be focussed, and I would not have been able to focus if I knew that she was pregnant before we came here." Thorin told them.

"Speak of the little fire minx." Thrain told them and they all looked over and they saw Phoenix walking towards them wearing a red shirt instead of her white shift with her leather pants and her leather waistcoat, and she was walking with Dwalin who looked pretty beat up. When she was close enough, Thorin got to his feet and he slid his arms around her, holding her to him.

"You and our baby are going to be fine, aren't you?" He asked.

"We are." She told him.

"Hold on, baby?" Dwalin asked.

"Yeah, Phoenix is pregnant." Kili told him.

"Oh Mahal…" Dwalin told them. "I am so happy for you guys."

Phoenix smiled. "Thank you Dwalin."

Dwalin smiled and nodded, sitting with them, just as Thorin called for attention and everyone looked over at them.

"May I ask for your attention." Thorin told them. "We have something extra to celebrate, not just that the battle is over and we have escaped with our lives, but something more joyous." When everyone was looking at him and waiting in anticipation for him to speak he continued. "My wife and I are happy to announce that you will have a new heir to the kingdom of Erebor." He told them and everyone cheered around them, congratulating the pair. That was how their night ended, the fires burning bright, merry songs in not only the common tongue but also elvish and dwarvish, praising their gods for the news that the king and queen of Erebor were due to be blessed. Thorin lay awake that night, listening to the soft breathing of his wife in his arms and he rested a hand on her still flat stomach, smiling to himself, this was their final chance to be a family, and this time, he knew that his child was going to survive. They had to.


	47. Chapter 47

Good News

They sent a raven back to Erebor to tell everyone to prepare to celebrate not only the fact that they won the war, but to celebrate the Queen's pregnancy. Everyone was in good spirits as they rode back towards Erebor. Uldoniair was able to walk after a few more days of rest, so they were taking a slow pace. They stopped many more times for the wolf to recover her strength when the distance became too much. On one of these occasions, Phoenix had managed to bring her Dire Wolf to a river and Uldoniair lay next to where Phoenix sat on the riverbed, both of them looking out onto the water. Thorin watched them from where he was sat with his comrades and Legolas and Thranduil.

"She will be fine." Thranduil told him, looking over to his niece.

"I worry for the child." Thorin told her.

"You don't have to be worried anymore." Thranduil promised him. "I do believe that this time, your child will survive."

"I hope that it is a daughter." Thorin told him.

"Why do you hope for that Thorin?" Legolas asked. "Surely a son would be what your people prefer."

"I don't care about what my people want." Thorin told him. "I want Phoenix happy, healthy and a child who is the same." He told him, poking the fire that they were sitting by with a stick. "But I would love a daughter, I could spoil her to no end with pretty dresses and jewellery."

Thrain smiled listening to his son, he had felt the same way when Thorin's sister was born. "Well, according to when Phoenix found out, and how long Elvish pregnancies last for, your child shall be born in the winter, that is an excellent time for a girl to be born."

"Yes, our Elvish sayers believe the same." Thranduil told him. "You might get the girl that you seek Thorin."

Thorin smiled and he looked over at Phoenix once more, the cold air was already setting in to show the end of summer, soon he would have his child and his wife safely in Erebor. Getting up, he bid his current company a farewell, before he walked over to his wife who was using her hands to feed her Dire Wolf cold water from the river.

"How is she?" He asked, stroking Uldoniair's head.

"She is well." Phoenix told him. "Eager to get on the road again."

Thorin smiled at the Dire Wolf with a promise that they would be getting back onto the road soon, and then he rested a hand on Phoenix's stomach.

"And how are you two?" He asked her, resting his head in the crook between her neck and shoulder.

"We are both well, so stop fussing before you go even more grey in the beard." She told him, kissing his lips gently, her hand resting on top of his on her stomach.

That evening they set up camp somewhere else, protected by the side of the mountain, no army was able to sneak up on them. Thorin brought Phoenix into their tent when it was their time to get some sleep and Kili had decided to take watch for the night. They were sat together in a comfortable bed, Thorin holding her tightly.

"Do you not think that I will look too old for our child?" He asked her.

"Why would you say that?" She asked. "Thorin, you won't look too old at all."

"Phoenix, I have grey hair." Thorin reminded her playfully.

"So?" She asked. "Thorin, you are not that grey." She told him. "Our baby will be happy with you as a father no matter how you look."

"I hope that we have a daughter." Thorin told her and Phoenix smiled.

"I'd love either, a daughter that I can have a relationship with, and a son that looks just like his father so that I can teach him how to fight." Phoenix told him with a smile.

"Our daughter will be a warrior princess too." He reminded her.

"True." She smiled. "I'm so excited."

"Me too, now we need to sleep." He told her and they all soon settled to sleep. They made it back to Erebor a few days later and as they reached the stables, they were suddenly bombarded by Dis, Tauriel and Sigrid.

"Do you have any idea how worried we have been!" Dis demanded as she hugged Phoenix tightly.

"Dis, what have you been worried about, we are all fine, now let my wife breathe." Thorin told her and when she left her go, Phoenix was hugged by Tauriel and Sigrid, Tauriel gently resting a hand on her auntie-in-law's flat stomach.

"Are you excited?" Sigrid asked.

"Very, now both of you see to your husbands." Phoenix moved them along as she walked over to Baztia and the two shared a hug.

"We worried about you when we heard the news." Baztia explained. "It is not wise for a pregnant woman to be on the road, even if she is protected by as many dwarves and elves as you were."

"Do not worry so much, we are both fine." She told him. "Now, I would like a hot bath if that's not too much trouble."

"Go, I'll join you soon." Thorin told her as he walked over, kissing her cheek and Baztia escorted Phoenix to her rooms.

When she was in her room, Phoenix watched as Falla filled the bath tub and when it was full, she slid out of her clothes.

"Oh my Queen..." Falla gasped and Phoenix looked at her.

"What is it Falla?" Phoenix asked.

"Have you seen your stomach?"Falla asked. "It's so sweet."

Phoenix looked down and she could not help but smile, her stomach was only slightly rounded, but as she rested a hand on it, it was firm to touch.

"I am so happy for you my Queen." Falla smiled, before she left Phoenix to soak in her bath. When Thorin eventually joined her, she was still in the bathtub, letting the water trickle from her fingers onto her baby bump, she seemed to be having a conversation with someone.

"Your daddy is going to love you so much." Phoenix whispered. "You will be the most loved child in this world when you're born."

"Who are you talking to?" Thorin asked.

"Our baby." She told him, moving to sit up slightly to look at him. "Have you seen the little bump?"

He walked over quickly and he smiled when he saw it, it was only small but it was there, their baby was going to grow and be happy.

"Aren't you getting in with me?" She asked him.

Thorin smiled and he stood up to get rid of his clothes and when he was fully naked, he watched her slide forward in the bathtub and he climbed in behind her, pulling her into him so her back was against him. This made them both feel as ease, Thorin keeping his wife close to him and ensuring that she was safe, and now he was able to press a hand to their stomach to feel their baby. However their moment of bliss was broken when there was a heavy knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Thorin asked.

"Balin." Balin's voice came through.

"Don't come in yet Balin, I'll be out to see you shortly." Thorin told him. "I'm helping Phoenix with her bath."

"Of course my King, I will wait in the sitting room with Uldoniair." Balin told him before it went quiet.

"Helping me with my bath?" Phoenix asked him.

"Well, he didn't have to know the full details did he?" Thorin asked him and she giggled.

When he had finished 'helping' Phoenix with her bath, he let her wrap herself in a warm robe, before he dried himself off and slid on his pants and he looked at her.

"Let's go and see what Balin wants." Phoenix told him and they left the bathroom together, walking into their bedroom where Phoenix was able to change into her usual outfit.

When she was dressed, she joined Thorin and Balin in the sitting room, Uldoniair happily getting some ear scratches from Balin as she sat next to him.

"What is it Balin?" Phoenix asked.

"Dain has arrived, apparently you sent for him?" Balin asked.

"I sent for him, so that he could answer for what he's done." Thorin told him.

"If you don't mind my king, what had Dain done?" Balin asked.

"The army was not going to attack Gondor, it only looked that way, and in reality he had been hired by someone from Thorin's family to kill me." Phoenix told him. "Who's the only person from Thorin's family left who does not like me at all?"

"Dain." Balin sighed. "Okay, I see your point your highnesses." He told them. "Would you like to see him now?"

"We will see him now." Thorin told them. "We will receive him in the Great Hall."

Balin nodded and he left the room, walking ahead of the pair as Thorin walked to Phoenix and slid his arms around her.

"Do you wish to stay here and rest?" He asked. "The journey looked to be taken a toll on both you and Uldoniair."

"No, we will join you." She told him. "This involves our family Thorin, so it is only right that our family stands together."

Thorin nodded and he brought her to her feet, walking down to the meeting hall with her, as far as he was concerned this was the last straw between Thorin and his cousin.

They came to the hall where Dain was already arguing with both Fili and Kili, and Dis and Thrain in fact it was only Tauriel and Sigrid who were silent, but Tauriel was stood next to Sigrid protectively.

"You both married whores, what did you expect?" Dain demanded to Fili and Kili who both looked ready to skin him.

"You know nothing!" Kili shouted.

"You wouldn't know a loyal wife if it came and kicked you in the arse!" Fili told him.

"Fili, calm down." Sigrid told him, walking over to her husband and taking his closest hand. "Calm down my love."

"Sigrid go and sit down, I'll be fine." Fili told her, letting go of her hand.

"Come lass, do not stress yourself and the baby." Dis told her, taking her daughter-in-law into her arms.

"Even though it might not be your sons you still look after her Dis, you are a fool." Dain told him and just as Fili was about to pull his sword on Dain, Uldoniair pounced, sending Dain to the floor and pinning him there with a rather large Dire Wolf paw. At seeing Uldoniair everyone turned and they saw Phoenix and Thorin waiting in their thrones and Thorin gently took Phoenix's hand and she nodded to him, before looking back at Uldoniair.

"Uldoniair, let ho auta." Phoenix told her and Uldoniair let him go, walking over to sit between Thorin and Phoenix.

"You dare to set your beast upon me!" Dain demanded as he got to his feet.

"She does as she pleases." Phoenix told him.

"Nephews, go to your wives and someone get Sigrid some water." Thorin told them.

"It is good to see you back in one piece from war cousin." Dain told him. "Why have you asked for me cousin?"

"I have asked for you, because we were told something before we went to war." Thorin told him.

"And what was that?" Dain asked and Phoenix watched him intently.

"You asked for the firestarter to come here didn't you Dain?" Thorin asked and then Phoenix saw it, Dain was going to lie.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Dain told him.

"Liar." Phoenix told him. "Have you noticed that your fingers twitch when you lie?" She asked him. "It must be a family trait, Thorin, Dis and Fili and Kili do it too."

Everyone looked at her as she got to her feet and Thorin watched her as she walked down to Dain and soon they were toe to toe.

"Now, let us start as we mean to go on, Dain your cousin asked you a question, so answer him." She told him. "Or I will make you answer him." She warned, her voice threatening and she looked Dain directly in the eyes.

Dain looked at her, and Thorin could see that he was starting to get scared, Phoenix held all the power at this point, but Dain was not just going to admit it straight away.

"I...I don't know what you're talking about." Dain told them.

"Oh for gods sake Dain, just admit it, we all know that you are lying!" Dis shouted from where she stood next to Sigrid and Fili.

"I didn't ask for a war to start, I actually asked him to come to Erebor and kill this bitch, that was all." Dain told them and then Phoenix punched him. The sound of her fist hitting Dain's face echoed through the halls and Dain's cry of pain seemed to echo further than that. However Phoenix wasn't done, she then went for his throat, pinning him to the floor.

"You still don't understand do you?" She demanded. "If you kill me, then you kill Thorin, Fili, Kili and Thrain, their life is bound to mine." She snarled. "But then again, ambition is your thing isn't it Dain, you don't want to be a lowly lord, you want to be King, so maybe that's why you want me dead." Phoenix told him, her grip on the dwarf's throat tightening. "With me and your cousin's family out of the way line of succession falls to you doesn't it?" She asked. "Except that was how it used to run, Thorin has changed his line of succession, so that until our child is born, Kili's oldest son will inherit the throne."

Dain looked at her with surprised eyes; almost everyone did when they heard that Thorin had changed the line of succession, but Dain was more surprised to find that Phoenix was pregnant.

"You're spawn will die." He choked out. "You're not fit to be a mother."

"Phoenix let him go." Dis shouted. "He can't breathe."

"That's the idea." Phoenix told her but Thorin grabbed her hands.

"Let him go, you've done what we needed." He told her. "Think of our baby, they do not need such violence from you."

At the mention of their baby, Phoenix let Dain go and as he coughed and spluttered, she and Thorin walked back to sit in their thrones.

When they were both sat side by side, Thorin made a hand gesture and suddenly guards had Dain under arrest.

"Dain of the Ironhills, you are under arrest for conspiring against myself and my family to take the Throne of Erebor from us." Thorin told him. "You are to remain in the cells until I see fit to try you for your crimes." He continued. "You are no longer Lord of the Ironhills, another will be sent in your place." He looked to the guards. "Take him away."

"Thorin wait!" Dain shouted. "Thorin, I am your kin!"

"Kin do not try to kill their own kin." Thorin told him. "You are no more than a traitor to me now." Thorin told him and he sat back in his throne as Dain was taken away.

When Dain was gone, Phoenix looked at him and she took his hand into hers. "You didn't have to do that, we agreed that me scaring him senseless would be enough."

"I could not let him get away with what he did, you are right, he could have killed all of us, and he would have taken the throne, and it dawned on me that that was what he really wanted."

Phoenix looked at him and she kissed his cheek. "Amin astald aran." She whispered to him.

"Amin astald ar'vanima tari." He whispered back and kissed her lips gently, but it was only a chaste kiss, they were still in the presence of family.

Days passed and Dain remained in the cells of Erebor until he was tried a few months later where his title of 'Lord of the Ironhills' was stripped from him and he was cast out of the Ironhills along with his family. Celebrations had been thrown at the news that the Queen was indeed pregnant again and a few weeks after that, more news came. Phoenix was in hers and Thorin's room sorting through some clothes, her bump was still small but not small enough to be hidden. She was not worried though, because she was having regular conversations with their baby so she knew that they were alright. Suddenly there was a fierce knocking on the door to her bedroom and she looked at it.

"Come in." She called through and the door opened, and Dwalin was stood in the doorway.

"Ah Dwalin, what can I do for you?" Phoenix asked.

"You need to come quick lass." Dwalin told her.

"What's happened?" Phoenix asked him.

"The Lady Sigrid, she's in labour my lady." Dwalin told her and Phoenix dropped the dress that she had hold of.

"Take me to her." Phoenix demanded and together they ran through Erebor, reaching Sigrid and Fili's rooms. Pushing through the door, Phoenix went straight for Sigrid's bedroom and she found her in bed with midwives rushing around her to prepare her for the birth, Dis was on one side, wiping her brow dutifully.

"Here you are lass, Phoenix is here." Dis told her and Sigrid reached for her godmother.

"I'm here young one." Phoenix told her, taking her hand and kissing her head. "Come now, you can do this." She told her.

Sigrid's labour went on for hours, her screams echoing around the room and no doubt into the room next door where Fili was waiting, before eventually there was a shrill cry.

"A daughter." The midwife told them as she allowed Dis to cut the umbilical cord and took the baby to be checked and cleaned.

"She has a good set of lungs on her, just like her father." Dis told Sigrid who laughed weakly.

Phoenix walked over to the baby and she picked her up as the midwives handed her to their Queen.

"Sigrid she is beautiful." Phoenix told her.

"You need to take her to Fili, can you do that for me Auntie?" Sigrid asked in her tired state as the midwives started to clean her up and get rid of the afterbirth.

"It would be an honour." Phoenix told her and she carried the newborn over to the next room, after wrapping her in a warm blanket, and she looked around the room, crammed full of dwarves and Bard, Tilda and Bain.

"Fili?" Sigrid called softly and Fili was immediately on his feet walking over. "You have a daughter."

Everyone watched as Fili took the baby into his arms, she was small even by dwarvish standards, but she was perfect. His daughter was here, and she was alive and well. Smiling through tears of happiness he looked up at Phoenix.

"What of Sigrid?" He asked.

"She is well, just tired right now." Phoenix told him. "The labour took a lot out of her."

Fili nodded, sighing in relief. "Thank Mahal." He whispered, looking down at his daughter.

"What have you decided to name her?" Bard asked as he walked over to see his granddaughter.

"Thoya." Fili told him. "Thoya Alice." He gently handed the baby to Bard who looked at her in awe, he had not held something this small since Tilda was born.

"When can we see her?" Fili asked.

"Soon, let her get cleaned up." Phoenix told him. "I will come back and get you when it is time." She told them, disappearing back into Sigrid's bedchambers.

Soon it was time for Fili to join his wife with their baby after Sigrid had been cleaned up and due to the late hour, everyone else went to get some sleep. And Thorin and Phoenix were walking back to their rooms together, Uldoniair following on behind.

"Soon it will be our turn." Thorin told her, looking to where Phoenix's baby bump was visible through her outfit.

"When winter is at its peak, according to your soupsayer." She told him.

"Do you not believe in things like that?" He asked her playfully.

"I do, Elrond has the gift of foresight." She told him. "And he has said the same, so he and Arwen will be coming here in a few weeks."

"Excellent, I will set up a room for them both." Thorin told her.

Phoenix smiled, resting a hand on her stomach. "Nothing is going to go wrong this time, I can feel it."

"So can I." He told her, smiling softly.

Together they headed back to their room, where they spent most of the night curled up together, resting.

Soon the peak of winter came and Erebor was hit hard. No matter where you were in the kingdom, no one could get warm! The only saving grace was that Phoenix was a beacon of heat in the literal sense, but even she wore a think cloak when walking along the barricade. That day she was sat in hers and Thorin's sitting room, Uldoniair lying next to her as she and Dis were knitting together, well Phoenix was trying.

"Dis, I'm not going to get this." She groaned, throwing the mess of 'knitting' on her lap in frustration.

Dis simply laughed. "Well, not while you are like that." She told her, putting her own knitting down and walking over to her. "You look very uncomfortable too Phoenix."

"I am, it's the peak of winter, any day now I'm due." She sighed. "I can't get comfortable anywhere; I even hate Thorin holding me in bed."

Dis smiled knowingly at the woman, she knew how she felt; Dis herself had been the same when she was in the later stages of pregnancy with both of her sons. Arwen looked over at her sister as Dis set about helping her with her knitting and she noticed something.

"Sister, are you sure that you are okay?" She asked.

"I think so." Phoenix told her, and Dis noticed her wince.

"Lass you aren't alright." Dis told her, dropping the knitting and helping Phoenix get to her feet, before the front of her dress was suddenly drenched. "Phoenix, you're in labour."

"Dis I know." She told her through a wince.

"Arwen, go and get your father, and the midwives and send a guard to get Thorin, quickly." Dis told her. "I will take Phoenix." She guided Phoenix to her room as Arwen and Uldoniair left. The midwives were found first and Arwen sent them to Phoenix' room, then she found her father who was with Tauriel, Kili and Fili in the training room.

"Ada." Arwen shouted from the stairs. "Come quickly!"

Arwen what is it?" Elrond asked.

"Rhavaniel, she's in labour." She told them.

"Elrond, you and Tauriel go, we will get the other dwarves and send a guard for Thorin." Fili told him and Elrond and Tauriel ran off to Phoenix's room and Kili sent a guard for Thorin.

The guard ran through Erebor to the meeting hall where Thorin was, going through talks about how to try and bring the heat back into Erebor to help them all through the winter. However, talks stopped when the guard threw the doors to the hall open.

"What is the meaning of this?" Thorin demanded.

"My Lord...The Queen..." The guard got out through his breathlessness.

"What of the Queen?" Thorin demanded, worry for his wife seeping into his voice which he tried to keep level.

"My Lord, you child is on their way." The guard got out and Thorin's blood ran cold.

 **Translations**

Uldoniair, let ho auta – Uldoniair let him go

Amin astald aran – My brave king

Amin astald ar'vanima tari – My brave and beautiful queen


	48. Chapter 48

Baby Blues

He ran as fast as his legs could carry him, pushing through crowds of dwarves as he ran. His body telling him to stop and breathe but he could not find the will, not when his beloved needed him. It had been seconds since the words that Phoenix was in labour had left the poor guards lips and Thorin had abruptly ended the meeting he was in and took off running straight for his and Phoenix's chambers. The short walk seemed much longer now that his nerves had kicked in. He burst down the door to his and Phoenix's rooms and found his nephews, his company, Lady Sigrid and the Lord Elrond waiting. The dwarves were all pacing and fidgeting with nerves whilst the Elf Lord sat calmly in the chair by the window with Sigrid. Not long after he got to the room did Elrond spot him.

"Things are going well." He told the King. "Arwen suggested the fire be kept burning, hoping that Phoenix could bring her strength from it, it appears to be going well."

Thorin nodded and he paced in front of the elf.

"What has you nervous?" Elrond asked.

"She has lost so many children what if she loses this one too?" Thorin asked.

"She won't, this one I feel is strong." He told him, though they all looked up as they heard the cry of pain from where the doors led into Thorin and Phoenix's bed chamber.

Suddenly the doors opened and Arwen came in walking straight to Thorin. "Dis told me to come and get you, your child is nearly into this world..." there was something else behind her eyes and Thorin saw it.

"And Phoenix?" He asked.

"She is failing, she has not got enough strength and she has lost a lot of blood." Arwen told him.

"Take me to her." Thorin demanded and Arwen led him past his men and into their bedroom where Phoenix lay on the bed, surrounded by midwives and Tauriel and Dis at either side of her. There were bloodied blankets and towels on the floor and as he got closer, Thorin saw his love in bed her eyes full of pain, her hair drenched in sweat, her legs raised as midwives and Dis gathered around. She looked exhausted, and done, Thorin then feared that she might not survive this.

"Brother, come here." Dis told him and she walked over dragging him to his wife who had her eyes look at him and he could not find the words to speak.

"Thorin, you need to help her find the strength." Dis told him.

Thorin looked at Phoenix and he looked to his sister before he moved Tauriel out of the way and he suddenly had an idea, he knew what his wife needed. No one asked any questions but Phoenix seemed to gain some colour and light to her body as he undone his robes and his shirt and he moved to sit behind her, holding her against him.

"Use my strength, you told me if there was a focal point, then we can share strength, so do it now." He told her, moving to take her hands. It worried him because as he touched her skin he found her to be cold, almost ice cold despite the sweat on her brow which Arwen wiped away dutifully.

"I can't do this." Phoenix told him.

"Yes you can." Dis told her, going back down to the bottom half of her body.

"My lady you need to push." The midwife told her and as if on cue Phoenix let out a pain cry of pain and she seemed much stronger as she did so.

This carried on for hours, Thorin not moving from his post with his lover even when the midwives told him to leave he remained.

"If I move it will not benefit her well, she needs me." Thorin told with a growl of determination that had the midwives backing off straight away and Thorin pressed a possessive kiss to his wife's head but he soon felt her strength waning once more.

"Phoenix listen to me." He told her. "I don't care what you have to do, but your survive this." He told her. "Because I cannot be king without you."

"I can't hurt you." She breathed.

"Don't worry about that, concentrate on helping our baby." He told her. "You can do this."

"Phoenix your child is nearly here." Dis told her. "Just one more big push."

Thorin watched as another contraction tore through her and Phoenix pushed as hard as she could. He watched as a few more pushes brought his child into the world, it was a fascinating experience for him to witness. Once his child was born there were whisked away by the midwives but no sound came from the infant. At not hearing a sound, Thorin felt his blood go cold and stop in his veins before he looked at Arwen.

"Try and help him." He told her and Arwen nodded and she walked over to the midwives and she picked up the baby without a word.

"The child is cold, she needs her mother's heat." Arwen told them and she brought the baby over to Phoenix who held her arms out for the child.

Thorin watched his wife take their child in her arms and he was stunned, his child was a daughter who looked so much like her mother. At Phoenix's touch the child soon started to wriggle and suddenly there was a soft cry as the baby seemed to realise that she was born. Her cry made the tension in the room ease and Thorin found himself smiling wide. His daughter had been born and she was alive. Phoenix managed to soothe the child against her chest as she cried and soon she was making dull noises that were pleasant to hear. But soon her muffled sounds turned into screams as the nursemaids plucked her from Phoenix's chest.

"What are you doing?" Arwen demanded, her heart breaking at hearing her nieces cries.

"Arwen it's alright." Phoenix rested a hand on her sister's arm.

"How are you so calm?" Arwen demanded.

"I'm not." Phoenix told her and Thorin could see the uneasiness that she was feeling as her daughter cried, he also felt the weakness of the grip she had on his hand. She was tired but her maternal instincts were telling her to protect her child at all cost even when her body told her to rest.

"She will be fine." Thorin told them. "They are just checking her over." He soothed the two women and Dis smiled softly watching them. "Phoenix perhaps you would like a bath?" Dis offered trying to distract the queen from her child's cries and also easing her discomfort after all giving birth was no joke.

"That would be nice." Phoenix told her with a soft nod. "But I fear that I am too tired to move." She told her with a laugh.

"I will carry you." Thorin told her, before he looked to his sister. "Dis go and draw her a bath."

Dis nodded and she walked to the bathroom and when she was gone Arwen looked to him.

"You need to go and tell the congregation outside." She told him.

Thorin nodded before he walked over to his daughter, after sliding a shirt on, and the nursemaids moved away out of respect and they allowed him to pick the child up into his arms after wrapping her into a blanket. "Would you mind?" He asked Phoenix.

Phoenix simply shook her head. "I don't mind; just make sure Ada holds her first."

Thorin nodded and he walked to the door, opening it and he was met with the dwarves all freezing at seeing him and they looked in earnest. Lord Elrond on the other hand looked out of the window but turned back to face him as he heard the sound of Thorin's boots coming towards him.

"My lord and father, would you like to hold your granddaughter?" Thorin asked him, presenting the baby to him.

Lord Elrond stood to his Elvish height and he gently took the infant from her father's arms holding her to him as she cooed and murmured and he smiled. "She looks just like her mother did at this age."

Thorin smiled before he addressed the group. "The future queen of Erebor, Maetharanel Vanafindiel."

"Why such an elvish name?" Dwalin asked.

"Because it sounds feminine and it tells everyone who she is." Thorin told her.

"Except she is not fair haired." Elrond told him and Thorin laughed looking at the dark whispers of hair on his daughters head.

"Aye she isn't." He agreed. "But she is fair." He marvelled at his daughters fair skin, her dark hair and the warmth of her skin, she was not as warm as Phoenix but she was slightly warmer than himself which meant that she still had her mother's fire.

Eventually Thorin returned to Phoenix's side after she had been helped into the bath by Arwen and Dis and he kept hold of his daughter worried for dropping her as he knelt on the floor closer to Phoenix's head. All too soon his daughter started to whimper, breaking the relaxing peace that Phoenix needed and Thorin tried to shush her to no avail then he realised what was wrong.

"Phoenix she is cold." Thorin told her.

Phoenix sat herself up slightly and she held her hands to him. "Hand her to me." She gestured and Thorin watched as he handed her the child and she unwrapped her from her blankets before Phoenix settled the small baby on her chest and leant back in the bath allowing the water to swirl around the body and Phoenix's own body heat providing her warmth. Thorin smiled as he watched, she was a natural with their daughter and it made him proud.

"Aren't you getting in with us?" Phoenix asked.

Thorin looked at her and without a word he stripped off his clothes and got into the water with her, the heat of the water soothing aches he did not know he had, calming his mind in ways he did not fully understand but he was happy for both. He slid in behind Phoenix who had slid herself forward and when he was comfortable she leant back into him, the baby remaining comfortable on her chest. He looked down at his daughter and smiled and then it hit him. He was a father. Finally Mahal had smiled down on him and had decided to bless him and Phoenix with a living child. Eventually they were out of the bath and dressed in evening clothes, Thorin taking the rest of the day and night off to look after his wife and new daughter as he and Phoenix lay on the freshly made bed, their daughter lying between them dressed in a small sleeping dress that Arwen had made. Eventually their family came to join them as the servers brought trays of food up to them. Thorin's nephews and their families were the first to arrive with Fili carrying his own daughter as Tauriel guided hers and Kili's sons to sit on the edge of their Aunt and Uncles bed.

"Auntie?" Thorontur asked looking at Phoenix, for once he was the timid twin as he caught sight of his new 'aunt'.

"It's alright you two, up you get." She told them, moving to sit up and move her legs so the boys could join her and Thorin on the bed with Harin going around the other side where Thorin was. Tauriel and Kili watched their sons and they smiled to each other at how quiet they were but already how in love they looked with her. Soon there was gurgling beside Tauriel and everyone looked to see that Thoya had woken from her nap against her father and Phoenix smiled.

"Hello sweet one." She smiled to her niece.

Thoya giggled at seeing her Aunt before she looked at Harin who offered his hands to his uncle.

"Can I hold her Uncle Fili?" He asked.

Fili smiled and nodded handing his daughter over to his youngest nephew.

When he had his cousin, Harin held her onto his lap and he turned her to face their new family member.

"Thoya this is our new 'aunt', she's very small but very important." He told her.

"Aye we need to look after her." Thorontur told his cousin.

Thoya looked at her brothers and she seemed to nod in understanding before she reached over to the baby and caught her foot almost in greeting.

"Baby." She mused but that one word made Sigrid rejoice.

"Fili her first word." Sigrid told him her voice full of excitement.

Fili was smiling proudly at his daughter.

"Only a few months old and she say her first word upon seeing our daughter." Thorin mused reaching down to tickle his great niece under the chin smiling as she rolled away and giggled.

Eventually they were joined by the rest of their family, everyone was happy to sit around and hold the child and then the real test for them came. There was a soft scratching on the large door to the bedroom and Phoenix recognised who it was.

"Fili, let Uldoniair in." Phoenix told him.

"Lass, I don't think that is wise." Dis interjected immediately.

"Why not?" Phoenix asked.

"Phoenix, she is a wild animal." Dis told her, she sounded almost desperate at keeping the Dire Wolf away from the new princess. "What if she harms the baby?"

Phoenix just looked at her. "Seriously?" Phoenix asked through laughter. "Dis, if Uldoniair wanted to kill or harm anyone then we would all be dead now, she will cherish the child." She looked to Thorin. "Will you let her in?"

Thorin smiled and he got to his feet, despite his sister's requests that he stopped being stupid, and he pulled open the door, the dark fur of the wolf rushing into the room, smelling everything.

"Uldoniair, ea moica." Phoenix told her wolf and the wolf stood on Phoenix's side of the bed, using her height to look over her mistress at the small sleeping bundle in between her mistress and master, when Thorin returned to the bed.

"Her name is Vana." Phoenix told the wolf.

Uldoniair looked to her mistress and then back to the child and she moved to lean her front paws on Phoenix's bed and Dis all but screamed as she suddenly plucked the child from the bed by having a grip of the baby's dress in her teeth.

"She's going to hurt her." Dis told them, rushing forward, but Phoenix raised a hand as she watched Uldoniair who brought the child over to the fire place with her and Uldoniair curled up on the floor in front of it and lay the child beside her and it made Phoenix smile.

"Are we going to get her back?" Thorin asked Phoenix.

"Not for a while." Phoenix told her.

Leaving the baby with the wolf, both of them looking rather happy with that, everyone else soon retired to bed. When they were gone, Phoenix watched her wolf and her baby form a bond before she felt Thorin rest his head against her shoulders.

"No how do we get our newborn daughter away from her new friend?" Thorin asked her.

"Like this." Phoenix told him and she got up and walked over, gently stroking Uldoniair's head. "She needs to go to bed now; you can sleep next to her if you wish."

Uldoniair looked longingly at the baby before she nodded and watched her mistress pick her child up in her arms and bring her to a bassinette that was under a nearby window. When Thorin and Phoenix had each cuddled their daughter and kissed her goodnight, she was tucked up under her blankets and Uldoniair moved to curl up underneath the bassinette, keeping a vigil.


	49. Chapter 49

**Hi everyone, sorry it's took so long. Work has been hectic. I will try and upload more and more as time goes on. Oh and sorry it's a short one, but the next chapter should be better.**

Child's Play

The new princess was the most loved little girl in the mountain. Vana never left her parents sides; she was commonly with her mother, sitting through knighting, watching her cousins' train, and going for horse rides with both her mother and her best friend, Uldoniair. However, when she was with her father, she mainly sat on his lap as he sat through meetings. Vana was the ideal child. She slept during the night, was quiet during meetings, waited until she was hungry before she cried. Everyone who passed the King or the Queen, would always curtsy to the King or Queen first and then fuss over the baby, stroking her soft black hair, taking her tiny pale hand, and generally just fussing over her. Many people from the town had come to the mountain to see Vana, not just to trade with the kingdom of dwarves. Soon, the idea of the christening for the Princess came about.

"It needs to be a major event." Dis was telling Thorin and Phoenix as they sat around for breakfast one morning, Vana playing on the floor with Uldoniair.

"Dis, we understand what we must do," Thorin told her. "But ultimately, it is both mine and Phoenix's choice."

"But she is the heir for the throne." Dis argued.

"Dis, please stop going on about this, Thorin and I are only having a small ceremony, then the party afterwards will be a large thing." Phoenix told him.

Dis was about to say something against the idea, before they heard a soft squeak and the sound of crying that could only come from Vana. At hearing the cry and the squeak, both Phoenix and Thorin got up, and ran to Vana, who was being licked by Uldoniair.

"I told you that mutt was dangerous." Dis cried, watching as Phoenix and Thorin got to their knees on the floor with Vana and Uldoniair.

Picking Vana up, Phoenix noticed that she had a bleeding cut in her hand that Uldoniair had been trying to lick clean.

"Dis, stop it." Thorin told her, noticing that his sister's almost shriekish voice was making Vana more scared as she could not stop crying in her mother's arms and Uldoniair was shirking away from Thorin. She knew that she had caused pain to the tiny creature, and she was ashamed that she had, she was waiting for Thorin or Phoenix to be angry, so she maintained her distance despite her need to comfort the baby.

"Quildë qwenig, ntyë indo ea finwa," Phoenix whispered to her daughter, stroking her face, and she gently kissed her head, the bleeding had long since stopped.

"I warned you that the beast was dangerous," Dis told them angrily. "You two should have listened; I have been having children much longer than either of you."

"Dis, shut up!" Thorin thundered.

"Both of you stop." Phoenix told them, she was much calmer than her husband, and she managed to calm Vana into sniffles. When Vana was calm, she looked over to Dis, choosing to ignore her words about Uldoniair. "And the reason why we will not be having a large ceremony here, is because the ceremony will be in Rivendell." She told her and she stood up, leaving the room with Vana, Uldoniair staying and looking to Thorin.

"You can go." Thorin told the wolf who bowed her head and left, only she did not go after Phoenix, she found a dark place near the treasury, and she lay down in there.

For the whole day, no one found Uldoniair, and Vana became more and more distressed. Eventually everyone had tried to calm her; she found no comfort from Thorin, Phoenix, Fili, Kili, Tauriel, Sigrid, Thorontur, Harin, Thrain, Dis, Baztia, Fala or even Dwalin. The baby would not settle.

"Has anyone seen Uldoniair?" Phoenix asked when she came into hers and Thorin's private rooms where everyone had gathered by the fireplace.

"No, not since this morning, I think Dis scared her off." Thorin told her, walking to her and he pulled his wife into him, he knew that she hated hearing Vana crying.

"We need to find her, Vana might not settle until we do." She told him.

"Alright, let's see if we can find her, I'll stay here with Vana." Thorin told her, before he looked at the rest of the family. "Go on, find Uldoniair."

The rest of them nodded and they all split up, going in separate directions, looking for the Dire Wolf. It was eventually Kili who found her when he walked past the treasury.

"Hey, there you are." Kili told her, moving to sit beside her large form. "What's going on?" He asked.

Uldoniair looked at him, and she seemed to just sigh, before she rested her head back down on the gold, it did not look like much, but Kili somehow knew that she was upset.

"I know what you're thinking, but no one is upset with you, what mum said was stupid, but what you did was by accident." He told her.

Uldoniair seemed to be paying little to no attention, to him, so Kili pulled out the one card he knew would get the wolf's attention.

"Okay, look, Vana is in tears and she has been in tears since you left." He told her. "None of us can stop her from getting upset, she needs you." He told her.

Uldoniair looked up after a minute, and at hearing that Vana was upset, she got up and ran back towards Phoenix and Thorin's bedrooms, looking for her best friend. Kili smiled to himself and he got up and ran after her.

Uldoniair got to the bedroom door and she started scratching it, she waited as she heard the sound that she had come to recognise as Thorin's boots on the floor, and when the door opened, she ran inside and straight to where Vana was still in her bed. Thorin stood in the doorway and he watched as Uldoniair walked over to the crib and started licking Vana. At feeling the licks, Vana started to calm down and she soon stopped crying.

"She's the best friend your daughter could ask for." Kili's voice told him to look at him.

"She is." He agreed. "I'm happy that no matter what happens, she has a friend."

Kili smiled. "Everything is going to be fine Uncle; mum did not mean to upset either you, Phoenix or Uldoniair, she just worries."

"I know, but the way she speaks to Uldoniair now that Vana is here, is unacceptable." Thorin told him, "And Dis needs to learn this and learn it quickly."

Kili nodded, he knew that his uncle was right; his mother had a tendency to get very involved in things that she had no business being involved in. Eventually everyone else joined them and Phoenix smiled as she joined Thorin and Kili and she saw her best friend and her daughter making up.

"Things are going to be okay." She whispered to Thorin.

"Yes, they are." He smiled.

Thorin and Phoenix left the two alone for a few minutes as they walked into their sitting rooms once everyone else was gone.

"What else is on your mind?" Thorin asked, looking to her as she lit the fireplace.

"Not a lot." She told him.

"Phoenix, be honest with me." He told her.

Phoenix sighed and she looked over at him. "It's just something about my father." She told him. "Elrond told me that he did not want me to know his name until I was ready...But his name means nothing...He wasn't royal, he wasn't...Well he wasn't anyone."

"That you know of." Thorin told her. "If it's bothering you that much, then we can try and find out a bit about him," He told her.

Phoenix nodded. "The only two people old enough to know are my uncle and Lord Elrond."

"Then send the ravens, or go and visit Thranduil yourself." He suggested. "Mirkwood is two days solid ride from here."

Phoenix nodded. "But could I leave Vana for that long?" She asked.

That was exactly what Phoenix did the next week, after quite a bit of persuading by Thorin, she had contacted Thranduil who had told her to come to Mirkwood so that they could discuss things and she had packed up and gotten ready. Vana was watching from Uldoniair's back as the Dire Wolf gave her a ride around the little princess' parent's bedroom.

"I'll be back in a few days." Phoenix told her daughter, picking her up in her arms. "You won't even notice, you and papa will have so much fun."

Vana nodded against her, resting her head against her shoulder, relishing the touch of her mother and it almost made the baby smile.

Uldoniair grabbed Phoenix's bag in her mouth and she followed her mistress as Phoenix carried her daughter with her towards the stables. When they reached the stables, they found Thorin already waiting for her and he was petting Carnahan.

"Ready to go?" He asked.

She nodded. "Almost..." She told him, looking to the baby on her shoulder.

"She will be fine." He promised her. "Uldoniair and I will have her well looked after." He told her, walking to her and he kissed her forehead gently, before he stroked his daughter's head.

Phoenix smiled softly, handing the baby to her husband. "Promise me that you will be okay too?"

"I promise," Thorin told her, kissing her lips gently.

Phoenix kissed him in return, before she looked down to the wolf beside her. "I need you to up your game," She told her playfully. "You have two people to look after now, and any trouble you protect Vana at all costs, okay?" She asked.

Uldoniair had sat down by this time and she listened to her mistress, nodding when she needed to, looking up at the sleeping baby with an almost smile. Vana would be safe with her, at any cost.

When her wolf had agreed, Phoenix gave Thorin one final kiss and also stroked Vana's cheek before she climbed onto her horse and rode off out of the stables. She rode straight for days, only stopping to catch food to eat and let Carnahan rest. She was scared to stop for long in case she changed her mind about the whole ordeal and decided to go back to the mountain and back to her new family. However, on the last night before she was due to reach the trees of the Greenwood, Carnahan refused to move.

"Carnahan, come on, what's the matter?" She asked him, but the horse continued to resist any effort Phoenix made to move him along.

When he refused a fourth time, Phoenix slid down from the saddle and walked to stand in front of him. However, before she could get a word out, Carnahan reached back and pulled off her sleeping furs from the saddle, throwing them to the floor and he used his hooves to unroll them. At seeing that Phoenix was just watching him, Carnahan gestured his head down to the furs, telling her to get in.

"You want me to sleep?" She asked him, Carnahan nodded his head and it had her smiling slightly. "Alright, just a few hours."

Carnahan watched her as she set out her sleeping bag properly and the horse watched the sun set and darkness creep in. He soon found her asleep next to him and Carnahan gave himself a smile, before he too settled down to sleep, his eyes closing to the sound of the crickets.

 **Translations**

Quildë qwenig, ntyë indo ea finwa : Quiet little baby, you will be fine


	50. Chapter 50

**Hello readers, my apologies for taking so long, life has been difficult and my health hasn't been the best. I will try and upload as often as I can from now on.**

Truth Will Out

Phoenix woke to the sound of birds the next morning, and she looked around startled before she noticed a still snoozing Carnahan nearby.

"Silly horse," She muttered to herself as she got herself up and walked to a nearby river to wash up.

As she was drying herself, she did not notice the sound or rustling behind her, but thought nothing of it when it had passed on. She readied herself to continue riding and she woke Carnahan, before fastening his saddle to him as he grazed on the grass of their riverbank. Soon they were well on their way again, reaching the entrance to the realm of Mirkwood before the sun had fully set. They rode with care and at a slow place through the forest. As they rode, they soon came across elves that were returning from patrols and they all bowed and welcomed her to their kingdom. When she reached the gates, a stable boy walked over and happily took Carnahan's reigns.

"Welcome to Greenwood, my lady." He bowed to her when she had dismounted and taken her bags from the saddle.

"Thank you sir." Phoenix smiled softly, loosening her cloak as she walked over towards the doors of the palace.

"We thought that you would not be here until tomorrow."

The voice caused her to look up and she came face to face with her uncle and she smiled. "Thorin insisted that I head out early." She told him. "He is more eager than I am."

"Ah, he wishes for you to have your answers." He told her. "Come, I will show you to your room, though I doubt that you will use much of it."

Phoenix smiled and followed the older elf down numerous corridors and up many staircases to her mothers old room.

"I will meet you in the library once you are ready, I have found some things that I do believe you will find interesting." Thranduil told her before he took his leave.

When she was alone, Phoenix was curious as to what he had found, but she busied herself with sorting out her saddle bags, before she sat at the desk and wrote a letter to Thorin to let him know that she had arrived and that all was well. When the letter had been written and sealed, she walked to the balcony and whistled. At the whistle, there was the squawk of a bird and suddenly a raven had landed on the balcony railing before her.

"Take this to the Lonely Mountain." She instructed the raven, allowing said bird to take the letter from her hand and she watched it fly until even her eyes could no longer see it. When it was gone, she took a steadying breathe, before she started her walk down to the library to see what had been found.

She entered the library where she found her uncle reading scrolls by a fireplace, a stack of books beside him.

"Have you read anything interesting?" Phoenix asked.

"No, not yet," He told her, gesturing to the seat beside him so that she could also sit down.

Phoenix took the seat that he had offered and she picked up a book, it was dated over one thousand years ago, so it was a good place to start. They sat there reading for a few more hours, going from scroll to scroll, book to book, so far neither of them found anything. Soon the sun began to rise again and they were still reading through endless books and scrolls, even Legolas came to join in as the sun reached it's highest peak. The three of them searched endlessly until the sun had sent, and that was when Phoenix seemed to have found something.

"Uncle, cousin, I think I've found it." She told them as she sat up from where she had been lying on the floor.

Legolas and Thranduil looked over at her and Thranduil listened as she read out the small passage and she noticed that she was actually holding her father's journal.

"This must be a journal or something from my father." Phoenix told them. "It reads…Today is the day, the day that I commit this act for the good of dwarves both at Erebor and beyond." She started, seeming surprised that her father had once been in Erebor. "I bid goodbye to my family this morning, they think that I am going off to work to sell things in Dale, but they are wrong and they will always be wrong. I am a traitor. Tonight, I will only be known as that, a traitor, after I kill the Dwarf King."

Legolas and Thranduil stared at each other and they seemed to be fully surprised at the revelation.

"Could anyone have tampered with this book?" Phoenix asked Thranduil. "Anyone at all?" She asked.

"No, Rhavaniel, they could not." Thranduil confirmed. "It has been locked away with the things that your father and mother owned."

Phoenix let the book fall to the stone floor below her and she looked almost distraught. "When was this written…" She asked herself as she searched the book for ome form of date and she found it. "This was written around the time of King Durin's death." She spoke out loud. "My father nearly stopped the Line of Durin before it even began…" She looked to her Uncle and cousin. "Uncle can I keep this?" She asked him, nodding to the book.

"Of course." He told her and then she was gone, she needed to send a raven to Thorin to let him know that she was coming home.

Meanwhile,back in Erebor, Thorin was sitting in his throne during a meeting, his daughter was spending time with his sister and Uldoniair. He missed Phoenix a lot, and it was obvious when he continued to glance at her throne every so often. As the meeting ended, he got up out of his chair and took a walk around his kingdom. It was unusually cold, so everyone had decided to stay indoors, and roaring fires were blazing in every corridor and room. But he did not feel the cold, his bear skin cloak from Arwen almost did as good of a job to keep him warm as his beloved did. As he stood on the balcony, he overlooked his lands, there was snow on the ground, like fine sugar dusting the ground and blowing in from the hilltops around.

"You appear to be very pensive today."

The voice caused him to turn around and he saw his father walking towards him, his hands full carrying his daughter who was covered in her own fur cloak, a gift from one of the village women in Dale, her dark hair in ringlets just showing under the hood. At seeing his daughter, Thorin could not help but smile and he picked her up from his father's arms, holding her close.

"I am," Thorin told his father. "I miss my wife."

"And she misses you too." Thrain told him. "You two are very entwined."

Thorin smiled, looking to his daughter who was playing with a bit of his hair. "We are, and Vana is just like her."

Thrain smiled. "That she is." He looked out onto the horizon and he soon seemed to stop, catching something on the horizon.

"Father, what is it?" Thorin asked.

Looking out to the horizon, Thorin saw it. An army was vast approaching, their armour glinting in the sun, all riding boars. Thorin knew who it was - Dain. At seeing the sight before him, Thorin looked to his father, handing Vana to him.

"Take her, gather the army and my nephews, we go to war." Thorin told him and he was gone, finding another guard. "Sound the alarm."

The guard nodded and soon enough the horn sounded through the whole of Erebor, waking everyone. Those who were asleep awoke into a panic, those that were started to arm themselves and make sure that their families were safe.

Fili had been lying in his bed watching his wife who was just putting their daughter down to sleep in her bassinett next to Sigrid's side of the bed.

"She will be fine, come to bed." Fili told her, with a smile.

"My lion, I know that, but I cannot help but worry." Sigrid told her. "She is still so small, even Vana has grown."

"Sigrid my love, she will be fine." Fili told her, wrapping her in his arms as she lay next to him in bed.

"Do you ever worry about anything my love?" She asked, looking up at him lovingly.

"Not when I already know what is right." He told her with a smile.

Sigrid rolled her eyes at him, before she kissed him gently and went to blow out the candle, before the sound of the horn could be heard. "Fili…"

Fili was up and out of bed in an instant, he knew what the horn meant just as Sigrid did - there was trouble. "Stay here with the baby." He told her as he threw on his armour, with Sigrid's help, and he picked up his sword, and after giving his wife a fleeting kiss, he was running to his brother's room.

Meanwhile, Kili was lying in his and Tauriel's bed, fast asleep, Tauriel was awake reading by candlelight. Thoruntur and Harin were fast asleep in their beds in the next room, and everything was peaceful. Until the sound of the horn reached them, and Tauriel grabbed Kili's arm, startling him awake, as their sons ran into the room.

"Mum, dad, what is it?" Thoruntur asked.

"We don't know," Tauriel told them, getting up and putting her armour over her green pants and tunic as Kili got himself dressed in his armour, just as there was a knock on the door.

Thoruntur answered it to find Fili on the other side. "Uncle Fili!"

"The horn," Fili told his brother and Tauriel.

"We know, what's going on?" Kili told him, sheathing his sword as Tauriel grabbed her knives, bow and arrows and her sword.

"Where is Sigrid?" Tauriel asked.

"She's in my rooms with the baby, I've posted guards on her door to protect her." Fili told them.

"Boys, go and join your Aunt Sigrid." Kili told them and the boys ran and got dressed, before they ran to the door, but Harin and Thoruntur stopped and looked back.

"We will see you both again, won't we?" Harin asked and Tauriel ran to her sons and she hugged them.

"Of course you will, now be brave my little warriors, you need to protect your Aunt Sigrid and your cousin." Tauriel told them and the boys nodded, before they ran in the opposite direction of their parents who ran to the throne room where they found Thorin already dressed for battle, and saying goodbye to his daughter who was looking at him with wide and worried eyes. Vana did not understand the sudden commotion, but she knew that her father was going somewhere she was not.

"I will join you soon my darling, I promise." Thorin told her, and he looked at the maid who had hold of his daughter, his heir, the only thing more precious than any Arkenstone in this moment. "Protect her with your life, and take her to her Aunt Sigrid."

He watched the maid leave with Vana watching him from over the maid's shoulder, and then he addressed everybody as his father and sister stood on either side of the throne, both dressed for battle.

"We are under attack from Dain, he wishes revenge, we will not allow him." Thorin shouted. "Will you stand beside me to defend our home and the heir of Erebor?" Thorin's voice thundered.

The rousing cheers that continued, was enough to make him ready for war. Getting off his throne, he picked up his crown off his head and he left it on the throne.

"Brother…" Dis started but Thorin shushed her.

"I fight as equal to my men, I need no crown to do that." Thorin told her and he left with his men to stand at the gates to his kingdom, ready to defend his home and his family.

Meanwhile, Sigrid was in her rooms with her nephews, her daughter, and now her niece and her nursemaid. She was pacing, she wanted to know that her husband was alright and that her family were alright, she wanted to make sure that everyone was safe.

"Auntie Sigrid, we can't just sit here." Thoruntur told them.

"Auntie Phoenix needs to know what is going on, she could help." Harin suddenly spoke up.

"And how do we get to her?" Thoruntur asked.

"You ride out." Sigrid told them as she suddenly had an idea, and she walked to Fili's weapons chest and she pulled out the sword that he commonly let her use to train. "Get the princesses, quickly." She told them and she watched the boys pick up each of the princesses. Checking the coast was clear, she found the guards near the door. "Help us get to the horses, we need to get the princes and princesses out of here, we are sending them to the Greenwood." Sigrid told them.

The guards nodded and they led them down to the stables, however as they got there, they found that Dain's men had already broken through Erebor's defences. One guard stayed behind to ensure they were able to access the horses safely, and Sigrid could hear him fighting to protect them and Sigrid helped them onto their horses, kissing her daughter's head.

"Ride fast, ride hard." Sigrid told them, and she watched the boys ride away, before someone grabbed her from behind and threw her onto the floor, a sword at her throat. The boys rode away, and Thoruntur looked down to see Uldoniair running alongside them.

The Princes reached the Greenwood after two days of never ending riding. They didn't stop, Thorontur would not let them stop, even when the princesses each of them carried started to cry in hunger.

"Thor, we need to stop." Harin shouted to his brother as Vana cried in his arms.

"We can't, we need to get to Auntie Phoenix." Thoruntur told him. "Push on."

" Brother, they are starving." Harin protested, slowing his horse.

"Look if you two want to die then fine, but I don't want to die!" Thoruntur shouted at him as they stopped.

Before his brother could offer a rebuff, they were suddenly surrounded by elves, all pointing arrows at them. Uldoniar standing between the princes, her hackles almost daring them to attempt to hurt the princes.

"Who goes there?" One of the guards asked, looking at them.

"My name is Th-Thoruntur, Son of Kili and Tauriel." Thoruntur spoke, trying to have his father's bravardo.

"Please, you have to help us, Erebor is under attack, we have come to ask for shelter from our Aunt, Phoenix." Harin spoke up, deciding to use his mother's captain persona instead.

"Bring them to the palace." The original one to speak told the others and they all walked away, leading them to the gates to the elvish kingdom. When they reached the doors, the boys dismounted, holding the babies close to them for protection, Thoruntur keeping one hand on his sword. They were led to Thranduil's throne where the elf sat high, watching.

"This is highly unusual, especially for you two to travel this far without a guardian." Thranduil told the princes who looked at each other.

"Erebor is being attacked, Auntie Sigrid tried to come with us…We don't know what happened." Thoruntur told the elf, looking to Thoya in his arms as Harin looked at Vana in his. Thranduil seemed to be thinking through what was being said, just as the doors to his throne room were thrown open and Legolas ran inside.

"Father, Erebor's beacons are lit, they call for aid." Legolas told him but he stopped at seeing Tauriel's chuldren there. "You already know…"

Thranduil nodded. "Find Phoenix, tell her to prepare for war." Thranduil told him as he got to his feet. "Take the princes to Phoenix's chambers, bring them food and drink and get the princesses some milk."

The princes and princesses were then taken to Phoenix's chambers, where they found Phoenix sat on her windowsill reading.


End file.
